To Protect and Serve
by RadicalMercy26
Summary: Ela Trevelyan is a possessed mage, an abomination to many, and a savior to others. When her younger brother Aiden emerges from the Fade with a strange mark on his hand she does her best to keep him safe and sane. All while trying to keep their true identities hidden from the Inquisition, lest her secret be revealed and her and her brother's life be put on the line. Drama/Slow Burn
1. Chapter 1: To Serve a Mage

_**Hello Beautiful Readers! Be forewarned, this is a long fic with dark themes. I stick to canon sometimes, but other times I'll toss it out the window. If you are here for romance it's here, but it will be slow and at times non-existent. I hope you all stick around and enjoy! Comments keep me writing!**_

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"How much farther?!" A young boy exclaimed. His amethyst eyes were locked on the older woman in front of him. A thick black braid hung down her back to her waist, swinging slightly with every step. She wore a black fur cloak over leather armor. The hilt of a sword peeked from behind the cloak and a small round shield was strapped to her left arm.

"Calm down, we are almost there." The woman replied keeping her eyes forward on the line of people in front of her.

Mages and mercenaries were slowly making their way forward, with shoulders slouched, obviously battle worn. Her own mercenary band was currently dragging their feet, and the wagons that carried the few possessions they had elected to bring, through the snow.

She let out a long sigh. They had traveled all the way from the far side of Orlais to make it to the Conclave for this job and it was a relief to know that their journey would soon be coming to a close. The Templar-Mage war was good for business, but the dangers were numerous. Not to mention that it required them to travel all over Thedas.

'The gold is worth it', she thought to herself, a shadow of a smile on her face.

Ahead of them the Temple of Sacred Ashes, their destination, stood proudly.

"Oi, Ela! Won't be much longer now!" A burly voice from behind declared. She recognized the voice as Bren, one of the warriors in her little band. He ran through the snow to catch up to her, a large grin on his face. He was almost two heads taller than her and completely bald. Ela laughed to herself when she noted that it shined just as much as the plate mail he wore. A large claymore was strapped to his back.

"Should find a decent spot to camp soon, get the tents up, and such." He said as he came to her side.

Ela nodded her head. "Look ahead for spots that are not surrounded by trees. I want to see anyone that may be coming for us if things go south. Get Jorum to take note of any Templar camps within a mile." She gave him the orders in a hushed tone, weary of their fellow travelers. "If he cannot find a decent spot ahead, head back towards the little village, Haven, and find camp there."

Bren dipped his bare head in recognition and took off to Jorum.

Ela threw a side-ways glance at the boy beside her. Her younger brother, Aiden. His piercing eyes were still locked on her. The cloak he wore waved wildly in the wind, his small gloved hands the only thing holding it closed. He was all of twelve and unusually scrawny. The only similarity between them was their caramel skin, thin noses, and unusual eye color, a light purple with flecks of deep blue. It was a trait that she hated. The unusual eye color made them an easy pair to spot.

He trudged through the snow slowly struggling to keep up with her.

"You remember what I told you right, Aiden?" She asked averting her gaze.

His eyes narrowed slightly at her question before he gave a slow nod. "Do not talk to anyone, stay away from the Templars, and, most importantly, do not get into mischief." He said with a small hint of disdain. "I'll be fine. We have avoided the Templars this long."

Ela grunted. "The Templars are not the only ones we must be wary of. Everyone is desperate, which makes them dangerous as well. And you do not have enough experience to properly defend yourself." She threw a wide smile at him. "So humor me and be extra careful."

A moment of silence fell between them as they moved onward before Aiden spoke.

"Then you have to train me, just like you were." He declared with earnest. "I want to know how to swing a sword, while lighting my enemies aflame! I want to fade step with your ease! I want to fight just like you!" His voice grew louder with each sentence. The excitement was clear in his eyes along with his determination. "Reading books won't help me anymore."

"Shhh! I'll lose my element of surprise if they know I'm a mage." Ela chided him, with a small smile. She placed a gloved hand on the silverite sword hanging from her hip. "If you manage to stay out of trouble, I'll get you a sword for practice."

Aiden smiled, his large cheeks making him look like the child he once was. Ela couldn't help but think of how quickly he was growing. Soon he would be taller than her. He had already had a rather surprising growth spurt and had shot up to her shoulder.

"But,"She added quickly, her smile growing wider. "If you cause any problems, you'll keep up with your readings and I'll hear no more complaints."

"Only fair, right?" She asked.

His smile faded slightly, but he nodded in agreement before mumbling 'only fair' in return.

Ela chuckled and slapped a hand on his back. "Glad we are in agreement. Now let's go see if Bren started making camp."

The Conclave was, as Ela expected, tense. The Mages and Templars glared at each other from across the room. Grand Clerics milled about. Waiting for the others of their rank to arrive they stood by their respective chairs and shared hushed words with each other.

She stood in a far corner, back against the wall surveying the clear division in the room. Mages stood on one side, Templars the other, some keeping a secure grip on the hilts of their swords.

Ela frowned. They were supposed to be unarmed, and while many of them were, some of higher rank still had swords secured to their hips.

"Don't think they'll be holding hands any time soon." Bren joked. He stood next to her arms crossed.

"I could have told you that." Ela replied, dryly. Removing herself from the wall she walked forward a few feet looking around. She took note of her men, two in every corner, and three by one of the mages that had hired them. "Everyone in position I take it?"

"Yes, one slight problem however." Bren said lowering his voice. "One of the mages who hired us, he is delayed, well still at camp actually."

Ela groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Why did I not know earlier?" She asked, irritation clear in her voice.

"Made a big fuss about wanting to be escorted by the boss himself, or not paying us the full amount." Bren continued. Another groan escaped her. "I told him I could just drag him here, but he put up one of those fancy barriers. I had the men stationed for him stay down there and coax him out, but it looks like they haven't had much luck. Thought it best to tell you."

"I'll take care of it."

She turned to leave, but stopped and turned back to him. "Aiden is in a back room with the redhead mage we picked up, Marisha, I think her name is, and Thorn. I did not want to leave him alone in the cold. If you see him out here…"

Bren cut her off, shooing her with his hand. "I know the drill, boss. Send his little ass back to safety." He chuckled. "I doubt he will get out under Thorn's watch though."

"Thank you."

Ela smiled and, giving him a curt nod, turned toward the exit. Making her way through the growing mass she noticed the uneasy looks of the mages. How they twisted their hands and spoke in soft voices, how they gripped their staffs till their knuckles were white. She bit her lower lip and sent a small prayer to the Maker that nothing would occur while she was away.

Arriving outside she began to take off at a light trot towards their camp. They had found a nice small patch to pitch their tents towards Haven. She knew it would take her a while to get there and back, but she was sure that they would not start anytime soon. She shivered as the cold air began to set in to her bones. Her onyx chestplate and leather armor did little to retain heat, and she cursed herself for leaving her fur cloak at the Conclave with Aiden.

She made a mental to note to share a few choice words with the mage. The men she had assigned to him were perfectly capable of protecting him. She had even assigned her lieutenant, Kata, to escort him.

'Who does this man think he is? Making me come fetch him like his own personal servant.' She grew hot with anger at the thought. 'I am a noble…No I was.' Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. She had left that life behind a long time ago. No longer was she Lady Trevelyan of Ostwick. Now she was just Ela, Captain of the Bloody Suns Mercenary group. Nothing more, and nothing less.

She made her way down the path, contemplating what their next job would be.

As the camp came into view she saw four of her men gathered around a small tent that was glowing an iridescent blue. The tallest of the group, a pale skinned Qunari, turned as she approached. He had his arms crossed and a look of permanent disdain set on his face. His horns were curved and tipped with a dark metal, while stark white hair fell to his back.

"He has refused to come out." The Qunari stated. "I can remove him forcefully, if you wish it." He turned to her, his red eyes searching for approval.

Ela placed a hand on his arm. "I can handle this, Kata."

"So glad ya came when ya did." A petite elf said standing from her seat. She had short red hair and her face was covered in the vallaslin of Mythal. A black twisted staff was strapped to her back.

"I was sure Lilith, or the brute would just decide to drag em out before ya got here" Evsa continued. "He han't said a word since he put that barrier up. Think you can pull em out of there?"

"Of course she can!" Raul, a stout dwarf, answered for her. He was busy wiping one of his daggers down, and looked up at them from his seat. A black braided beard hung from his chin.

"Ey, you wanna get a bet started?" Evsa asked.

Ela ignored them. Listening to them bicker while sober was liable to give her a headache. Having to come all the way down the mountain had already caused a dull pulse to form in her forehead. She nibbled at the corner of her lip in irritation as she approached the tent.

"Hey, Kyi right? Your lord and savior is here to deliver you to the Conclave." Ela said mockingly, a crooked smile on her face. She placed her hands on her hips and waited for a response.

None came.

She tapped her fingers on her hips. Her irritation was growing and she struggled to keep her temper in check. There would be no gold if she knocked the mage unconscious and dragged him to the Conclave.

Stifling a frustrated groan, she cleared her throat. Kata was at her side in an instant with a hand placed on the hilt of his sword.

"Saarebas, come out. You waste our time with games no longer." He declared in a booming voice that echoed around them.

And still there was nothing.

Her hands fell from her hips. The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand. Something was not right.

"Lilith, get rid of this barrier." Ela ordered sternly. The tall woman nodded in response and with a quick flick of her wrist sent a barrage of fire that quickly extinguished the blue shimmer.

Raul pulled his other dagger from his back abandoning his cleaning. With an approving nod from Ela, he approached the tent quickly and ripped the flap back. It was empty.

"Oh, shite." Evsa murmured to herself.

"Oh, shite is right." Ela growled. Her eyebrows knitted together and she could feel the pulse in her head grow stronger. "How do you lose one man in a tent?!" She exploded. She opened her mouth to continue her rant, but was cut off by a deafening explosion.

Twisting around, Ela looked toward the noise and was blinded by a wicked green light. A blast of wind knocked her backwards and the only thing that stopped her tumble was Kata's large hand that was planted firmly on her back. Snow flew upward into the air whipping into her face and hair violently.

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. The wind and light subsided and after a few moments the ring in her ears dissipated. The pressure of Kata's hand on her back lightened. Around her, her men grunted and cursed, brushing snow off of themselves.

Slowly she opened her eyes. Brushing the snow from her face, she turned her attention to the direction of the blast only to find the Temple gone, and a giant green tear in the sky.

Her heart seemed to stop beating, and her throat grew tight all in a single instant. Opening her mouth she was barely able to speak. Her voice came out in a near inaudible whisper.

"Aiden."


	2. Chapter 2: Job of a Leader

The mercenaries stood with their mouths agape. The Temple of Sacred Ashes was gone, and above were it once stood, an ominous green tear sat in the sky. Dark clouds swirled around it and a visible column of what seemed like smoke trailed upward into its center. Green balls of fire fell out of the tear and hurled towards the ground in every which way.

In the distance she could hear people screaming. Their cries came as a collective wail of despair, fear, and shock all in one. The collision of the fireballs and the ground shock the mountains with varying intensity and sent snow high into the air. Clouds continued to collect around the anomaly, until the only light came from the tear in the sky, which bathed everything in its sickly green light.

"By the Creators." Evsa whispered. "The others…" She placed her hand over her mouth and fought back tears, leaving her sentence to hang in the air.

Lilith went to her placing a hand softly on the elf's shoulder. "They might be okay," she said in a soft voice. "We don't know that they are gone yet. Who knows where that thing goes? Or what it is?"

"That's just it though…who knows were that thing goes." Raul stated hollowly.

Ela tried to force herself to listen, but her mind ignored their every word. All she could think of was her brother. Aiden, who when he was a baby did not stop crying until she held him. Aiden, who was the only reason she had come back home. Aiden, who when he was five had iced over a lake, and had forced them to run from home.

Her mind seemed to race through ever memory she had with him. She saw him crying after they had left home. Smiling, even though they only had two tiny potatoes to eat for dinner. She heard him tell her over and over that he wanted to be like her. She saw them seated at the edge of a dock, legs swinging wildly, and making a promise to him. Telling him that no matter what she would keep him away from the Circles, keep him feed, and keep him safe.

**'****You didn't keep him safe.' **A voice hissed quietly in the back of her head.

It made her heart throb violently, and she felt her stomach coil tighter. Her legs began to shake like leaves in a storm. Sweat gathered on her brow, and her armor suddenly felt too hot, too tight. The urge to take off and run was overwhelming, yet her feet stayed planted.

"Boss, what do we do?"

The question was enough to snap her back to reality. She looked between her men slowly, trying her best to hide the fear, and sadness that she felt. Evsa's face was stained with tears, and her knuckles were white from clutching her staff so tightly. She seemed to be placing all her weight on Lilith's hand. Lilith herself looked grim.

'Barely holding herself together.' Ela guessed. She turned her gaze on Raul, who was motionless, off to the side. His daggers were hanging limply from his hands. His gaze was on her as well, mouth open in shock. His eyes felt like arrows and she quickly turned away.

Kata shifted uneasily next to her. His arms were crossed across his chest with his fingers digging into the side of his armor. For a second, Ela let herself be distracted with the idea of her brother in his first suit of armor. Her eyes began to water. She began to wonder if he truly would have been taller than her. Kata's piercing gaze was enough to expel the thought. Now was not the time for these thoughts.

They were all looking to her. Their eyes filled with sadness, fear, confusion, but mostly, a need for direction. A need only she could fill right now.

Clenching her fists, she let out a heavy sigh, and did her best to calm her nerves, quiet her racing mind, and regain control over her shaking limps.

"We don't know that the others are dead." She began calmly. "Who knows, they might have gotten out in time. There is no point in speculating from down here. We need to get up there to find out for sure." Unclenching her fist, she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. Doing her best to seem inspiring, she stood up straight and pulled her shoulders back. "Kata and Lilith I want you two up front. We don't know who, or what made that thing, I do not want us to be unprepared. Raul scout ahead, stay in the shadows, do not draw attention to yourself. I need to know what we are walking in to."

With each order she gave, her men nodded in recognition. A small thing of hope returning to their eyes. It made her heart warm for just a second, before it was overtaken with the grief she was struggling to control.

'He can't be dead.'

Biting her lower lip, she turned her attention to the small village behind them. Crowds of people were gathering by their gates. Soldiers stood confused, staring at the sky unsure of what to do. She couldn't let her men, be like that. The worst thing for a soldier to be was directionless.

"Let's get moving." She bellowed turning back to her men. "Evsa stick close to me."


	3. Chapter 3: The Woman of Gold

The first thing Aiden felt was the cold ground beneath him. Then, the sudden sting of pain from his hand that sent his body into a spasm. Letting out a silent cry, he curdled into the fetal position at the onslaught of pain. He lay there for longer than he could count, waiting till the pain subsided to move.

He rolled to his side, slowly opening his eyes. His head felt like it was spinning, and he had to blink multiple times before his vision cleared.

Nothing looked familiar. Sitting up slowly, he took in his surroundings. Everything was dark and mist swirled around him. Rocks floated in the air illuminated by a dull green light far off.

Goosebumps formed on his arms. What was the last thing he had been doing? He couldn't remember. The only thing he could remember was sitting in a storage room with Thorn, and a new hire Ela had picked up. And this, whatever it was, was defiantly not the storage room. His heart began pumping violently in his chest and he was sure it would come flying out.

"Hello?" He called out hopefully.

His voice only echoed back in response.

Suddenly, a bright light sprang to life. He squinted in an effort to identify what the source was. A woman, seemingly made of light, stood at the top of an odd hill.

'Ela?' His heart calmed slightly at the sight and he stood hastily.

He opened his mouth to call out to her, but a dull chittering distracted him. Turning toward the sound, he watched in horror as a group of giant spiders rushed towards him.

Taking a short glance between the glowing woman, and the spiders, he made what seemed like the best choice, and ran to the woman.

As he half-ran, half-climbed to her, he could all but feel the spiders behind him. They chittered and clicked behind him. Their legs only a hairs breathe away from him.

The woman reached her hand out to him, and he reached back; praying to the Maker that she would save him and bring him back to his sister. And when he was sure that the spiders below would catch him and drag him back down with them, she grabbed him. And everything went black.

Ela smashed her shield into the abdomen of a screeching shade and, before it could retaliate with its razor sharp claws, she buried her sword into its head. Kicking the corpse backward she turned to see her men engaging both shades and wraiths. Evsa had just put a wall of ice between Kata and three shades who roared in anger.

"Kadan, we will not hold much longer," Kata said turning to her. His sword was covered in black slime, the blood of the shades. "They are too numerous."

She nodded in acknowledgement. He was right, they had not even made it to the second bridge before they were attacked by the third group of demons. There was no end to them, but she refused to stop.

Glancing towards her men she took in their state. Kata was spotless, the Qunari wasn't even out of breathe yet. Lilith had a minor cut on her chin, and her breastplate was dented inward, but otherwise uninjured. Evsa, on the other hand, was doubled over and panting. Her face was drenched in sweat.

Ela knew the mage would not be able to handle any more. They had ran out of lyrium potions long ago and it would take time for her to recover her mana.

One of the shades made their way around the barricade of ice, but quickly met his end at the end of Lilith's spirt blade.

"We handle these, then, Lilith and Evsa," She said as she pointed at them with the tip of her sword. "You two head back to camp. Kata, you and I, we will continue."

Nodding, the team turned their attention back to the three shades that were barely held back. A wraith moved to send a shot at Evsa, but was interrupted by two daggers in its back. Raul emerged from the shadows, a devilish grin on his face as he continued his assault on their enemy.

Ela lifted her sword and cast a barrier over the rouge, hoping that it would be enough to deflect any hits he might sustain. She turned her attention back to the shades knowing that Evsa's ice barrier would not last much longer. Moving next to Kata, she hoisted her shield up and readied herself to engage them.

The ice dissipated all at once, and the shades let out a roar before charging forward with claws at the ready. They rushed forward to meet them.

Kata swung his claymore over his head and brought it down at the feet of two of the shades, sending them backward in a mini retreat. Ela took the advantage it gave her and rushed the third shade, separating him from his comrades.

She felt, rather than saw the familiar ping of a barrier being placed over her and, with a security net in place, began her onslaught. Lowering her shield, she slashed as fast as she could, at every vital point she could think of. The shade screeched in defiance. Trying its best to strike at her, it only managed to open itself open to more attacks.

It slashed at her head and she ducked using her shield to deflect the attack. Kneeling, she dodged a wraiths blast from the side; then, swinging her sword upward, she caught the shade in the front of his torso and sent black blood into the air. The body fell into a head of shapeless goo at her feet.

Raising her shield once again, she charged at the wraith who fired at her. The wraith retreated backward slowly, firing at her all the while, but the attacks did little damage as they bounced off the front of her shield. With only two strikes from her sword, the wraith fell, dissipating in the wind.

Breathing heavily, she turned to see the rest of the demons gone. Only piles of green goo in the snow remained to signify that they ever even existed. Moving back to her men, she sheathed her sword.

"So…that wan't so bad." Evsa chuckled in between breaths. The elf leaned heavily on her staff and her hair clung to her forehead.

Kata only grunted in response. Digging into his pouch he handed her a relatively clean cloth to wipe herself with.

Evsa took the cloth with a mumbled 'Thank you' and began wiping her forehead.

"Boss, how you holding up?" Lilith asked, placing her staff on her back. Her blue eyes shone with concern.

Ela sighed to herself, what was she supposed to say? The question was unexpected. It made her heart began to race again.

Was she supposed to tell her that she was holding onto little to nothing? Tell her that the only reason she was fighting was to hold down the pain? Tell her that she wanted to die, to be at the Makers side with him?

"I have hope." She lied. "You two need to head back to camp."

Lilith nodded. She knew better than to press the issue. Letting Evsa lean on her, the two made to leave down the path.

"Soldiers." Kata growled. "Coming up the pass."

Ela turned quickly, her black braid whipping through the air. The soldiers were just making their way up the hill. Many looked frightened out of their wits. Yet they stood proudly, ready to face whatever danger may appear. Taking a hard look she noticed that their armor was still unmarred. They had not seen combat yet.

A tall blond man led them. He wore a maroon cloak with a thick fur collar over his armor, unlike the plain armor of the men following him. His hand rested on his sword hilt casually, and a shield with a strange eye design was strapped to his arm.

"Evsa get behind us." Ela whispered urgently. She knew a Templar when she saw one, and she was not taking any chances. As casually as possible, both Lilith and Evsa positioned themselves behind them. Raul shrunk back into the shadows, knowing that if needed he was more deadly that way. Kata stood proudly at her side, staring down his nose at the approaching men.

The blond haired man looked up at them and raised a hand in greeting. She returned the gesture warily.

"I suppose you all are to thank for the path being clear." He stated a slight grin on his face as he approached.

"I suppose we are." Ela replied uneasily. She rested her hands on the hilt of her own sword. The men behind him shifted uneasily. "May I ask who you and your men are?"

The man nodded. "I am Commander Cullen, Leader of the Inquisition's forces." He declared gesturing to himself proudly.

"Fancy title." Ela chuckled humorlessly. "Suppose I should return the gesture. I am Ela, Captain of the Bloody Suns." Turning slightly, she lifted her hand towards her men. "These are my men. I don't suppose you know what is going on here?" She asked, jabbing her thumb behind her in the direction of the tear.

"I doubt I know any more than you." The Commander said taking a few steps forward. "All I know is that demons are falling from it, and many have taken to calling it the Breach."

Looking down at one of the many piles of goo, he nudged it with his boot. "You have quite a capable band." He said. "I have to ask what you are doing heading toward the danger, rather than away from it." The last part came with an accusation.

Kata snorted in irritation. Ela glanced up at him, eyes sending a clear message of 'Shut up' before turning back to the Commander.

"Some of my men were stationed at the Conclave." She replied. "I need to see if any of them are alive."

'I need to see if my brother is alive.' She thought.

The Commander considered her answer for a moment before responding. "My men and I are headed to the Temple, as well. I doubt there were any survivors, but if there were, those at the Forward Camp will know. Traveling together we are likely to reach our destination faster." He looked at her with hard hazel eyes for a response.

Ela immediately considered refusing the offer. The man was a stranger, and worse yet, a Commander of a force that she did not even know had been reinstated. The worst that could happen was that she would be considered suspect of whatever crimes had been committed. They might fight and, as good as her men were, she knew five against thirty was piss poor odds. The plus side, traveling with them offered protection, more soldiers to fight demons meant better odds for them.

Traveling with them however meant that she wouldn't be able to cast spells. Keeping the façade of being a normal warrior up would be imperative if the Commander turned on her. Few were familiar with Arcane Warriors and she preferred it that way. It had saved her skin more times than she could count.

"I think that idea a good one." She said forcing herself to smile slightly. "My two companions here are returning to our camp," she said gesturing to Lilith and Evsa. "But Kata and I are at your disposal. Lead the way, Commander."

The Commander nodded his approval. Turning he bellowed for his men to move out and in unison they began their march up the mountain to the Conclave.

Ela turned to Lilith and Evsa, placing a hand on the taller woman's shoulder she gave them hurried orders. "Lilith when you get to camp, if there are demons move to the village. I do not want you all being easy targets. Evsa restock on lyrium potions, and health potions. Something tells me you all might need them."

"Right, Boss." They replied in unison.

"Good. Be safe." She said and with a turn of her heel she followed after the troop, Kata close at her heels.

Cullen marched through the thick snow hurriedly. The longer they were delayed, the more lives were potentially lost, Leliana's message had been clear about that. Off to his side the mercenary captain, Ela, and her tall Qunari companion marched with him. He had taken a risk allowing them to accompany him and his men. One he hoped would pay off. Throwing them a sideways glance he observed the pair.

The woman was short for a warrior. Not only was she short, but her armor was mostly leather save for the breastplate. Had she not been carrying a shield, he would have guessed her a rouge. She kept her hand on her sword at all time, her purple eyes darting around suspiciously. Her complexion was darker than most Fereldan's and he guessed her to be from either Antiva, or Rivain.

He had no doubt that the Qunari was a ferocious warrior. A large claymore was strapped to his back, slightly tangled in a few strands of stark white hair. His chainmail armor gleamed in the unnatural light, and Cullen found himself wondering for the third time if they had something to do with the explosion. They were on odd group after all.

"Something interesting you, Commander?" Ela asked sternly. Her purple eyes were boring holes into the side of his head.

Cullen removed his gaze from her, and clearing his throat tried to come up with a suitable lie. "I was just wondering how you two ended up here in Fereldan."

"We are mercenaries," Ela snorted "we go where we're paid too."

His face grew hot and he cursed himself inwardly. Lying never was his strong suit.

"Well Commander, best get your head out of the clouds." Ela stated her voice low. She drew her sword quickly, rolling her shoulders backwards. "I'm not sure what that is, but I'm sure it's trouble."

Cullen couldn't help but agree with her.

Ahead of them a group of green crystals floated menacingly in the air. The building that had once stood there was nothing more than rumble now. The crystals crackled and shifted as if it sensed their presence. In a blink of an eye, tendrils of magic shot out of it and seemed to pull corpses, shades, and wraiths from the ground.

"Men, attack!" Cullen shouted, drawing his sword. Charging forward, he engaged the shade closest to him. His men doing the same.

The shade slashed at his left side immediately. A poor decision. He deflected the attack with his shield, and jabbing at the shade, he caught it in its right shoulder.

Backpedaling, the shade screeched at him. He followed with his shield raised high. Filling his lungs with air, he lunged. The shade tried to dodge, but was to slow and found Cullen's blade buried in its abdomen. Twisting his blade sideways Cullen yanked it free. and turned to find his next target.

All of his soldiers were still standing to his relief, and many had grouped up to overwhelm the demons. Turning, he continued to look for a group to aide.

That's when he saw them. The Qunari and Ela surrounded by three corpses and a shade. They stood with their backs against a collapsed wall in defensive stances. Hoisting up his shield he ran as fast as could to them, hoping that he would make it in time.

One of the corpses raised its sword and they charged. A feeling of dread overtook him. It would be his fault if they died.

The Qunari reacted first. Taking one hand off of his claymore, he grabbed the woman by her back, and sent her soaring into the air over the enemy's heads. She flipped gracefully, her eyes fixed on the charging corpse as she passed him from above.

Cullen watched her tumble through the air with baited breath, confused as to what the Qunari had hoped to achieve. A distraction? Or was he hoping to get her out of harm's way?

Ela landed in a silent roll and, once she had gained her footing, she bull rushed the corpse in the back. The force sent it flying onto the Qunari's sword, who swung it off easily, sending the body flying into its comrades on the left.

Turning, she thrust the edge of her shield into the corpse's neck to her right. A loud pop signified the spine being splintered, and she wasted no time shoving it backwards with her shoulder.

The Qunari was at her side in an instant. Bringing his weapon down, he drove back an approaching shade, who screeched in response. Kneeling low, Ela leapt forward slashing at the shades lower regions. The Qunari lunged with her in unison, his aim higher. Their blows landed and the shade was torn into three separate pieces.

Cullen came to a halt in front of them. Lowering his shield slightly, a small smile that was a mixture of both awe and admiration pulled at his lips. He looked at Ela as she rose sheathing her sword at the same time, she smirked at him, and something in his chest fluttered.

"Commander, the area is clear!" A soldier yelled.

Cullen turned placing his sword back in its scarab. Looking around he took in his men. A handful had minor injuries, but a few were more grievously injured.

"Jerald, get the injured back to Haven." Cullen ordered. The soldier in question uttered a quick 'Yes, sir' and began his task. Cullen turned his attention to the group of crystals that continued to shift in the air. Ela moved to his side.

"I need ten men to stand guard here!" He bellowed, turning to them. "I can chose, or you decide among yourselves, but we move out soon." Conversing among themselves, the soldiers began hurriedly trying to decide who would do stay behind.

"Think there are more of these things?" Ela asked as she inspected the anomaly.

"We can only hope not." Cullen muttered. "But, considering the situation, I'm sure there are."

The crystals crackled again before shifting violently. Again, tendrils snaked from it to the ground.

Drawing their weapons, they prepared for another attack. The soldiers arranged themselves hurriedly into a defensive formation.

This time it was not only shades, but another tall demon that sprung from the ground with surprising speed. Standing, it let out an ear piercing screech, its tail flicking back and forth menacingly. Green mist began to pool at their feet, and Cullen recognized it as a slowing agent.

"Get out of the mist!" He yelled to no one in particular. "Keep your distance from it!"

The green demon jumped into the air and vanished from view.

"Where did it go?" Ela screamed. From the corner of his eye he saw her struggling to move backwards toward the end of the mist.

"Keep moving!" Cullen shouted back. He focused all his energy on getting out of the mist, there would be no fight if he couldn't move.

The mist began to grow thicker, and his eyes began to sting, his vision growing cloudy. He heard a loud screech to his left and lashed out with his sword arm. Another screech to his right, and he lashed out there too. His heart pounded in his chest as he lashed out towards every inhuman noise.

He felt a hand grab his sword arm and, before he could fight it off, it yanked him out of area. Quickly, wiping his eyes he cleared his vision to see Ela blocking an attack from a shade and striking it down. Knocking it back with her shield, she spared him a quick glance.

"You alright, Commander?" She asked.

He made to answer, but a sudden force knocked them all backwards. Landing on his back he glanced upwards to see the tall green demon standing over them, letting off another deafening screech.

He saw Ela move to stand, her shield up and unsteady. The demon took the advantage and knocked her defending arm aside, sending her shield slamming into a wall. With a triumphant roar, it made to bury its claws into her, but was partially deflected by her sword. Two of its talons entered into her stomach, and Cullen saw her bite back a scream.

Gathering himself, he stood and charged at the demon. Kata stood on the other side doing the same. Striking wildly at the demon, the Qunari roared and manage to leave a deep cut on its leg. Flinging the woman from its claws, the demon turned to him and kicked him in the abdomen sending him reeling backwards.

Cullen gave a feverish war cry, and managed to strike at the demons back before it turned its full attention on him.

He managed to block its first attack and parry it, slicing into the meat of its arm. Its second strike, however, knocked him onto his back. His sword slid away from him, and fear crept into his chest. The demon stepped toward him, arm already coming down in a strike. Throwing his shield between him and it, he waited for the attack to land.

It never came. Instead he heard a pain filled screech. Peeking from behind his shield he looked up to see the demon being struck by lightning. Confusion came over him. There had been no mage in his company.

Rising, he raced for his sword. The demon continued to screech behind him. Grabbing his sword, he turned to see the demon still being assaulted by bolts of lightning. When it fell to one of its knees, he raced forward without a second thought and, with all his might, drove his sword through its neck, and the screeching came to a stop.

Panting, he pulled his sword from the demon slowly. His first thought was of his men, and he turned to find them mostly unscathed. Tired and bloody, but unscathed.

Turning his gaze to Ela, he saw her standing, supported by the Qunari. She was covered in blood. Her right hand clutched at her wounded side, trying to apply pressure. Blood leaked from the side of her mouth, and he wondered how bad her injuries were. The air around her cracked slightly and a sense of understanding came to him. She was the mage.

Sheathing his sword, he made his way to them, aware of their wary eyes.

"Just stay back." She snarled weakly. "I know a Templar when I see one. Just leave us."

He didn't slow.

She raised her hand in warning, electricity cackling between her fingers.

"I mean it, Commander. Stay back."

He stopped where he was. "I'm no longer a Templar." He stated calmly. "I left that life behind. Please, I just want to help you. You saved my life today. Let me return the favor." He pulled a health potion from his belt. Shaking it slightly he held it up for her examination.

The Qunari mumbled something he couldn't hear into her ear. She nodded in response and allowed herself to be set upon the ground by him. She winced in pain, and Cullen had to stop himself from marching forward to aide her.

"You won't last long without this." Cullen snapped in agitation. "Please, just take it."

"Fine." She growled.

Walking over quickly, Cullen shoved the potion into the Qunari's outstretched hand.

"Help me lean her head back." The Qunari said impassively as he uncorked the potion.

Cullen kneeled next to her placing one hand on the back of her head, and used the other to apply pressure to her wound. Amethyst eyes watched him carefully and she winced at his touch.

Up close the damage was more apparent. The demons claws had gone clean through and she was bleeding profusely. Her left arm hung limply, most likely broken, and her breathing was ragged. Her cheek was bruised and blood feel from a deep cut on her brow.

The Qunari poured the potion down her throat slowly. She struggled to swallow, but managed to finish it without choking.

"That potion isn't going to be enough." Cullen said softly. "You need a surgeon. Let my men take you back to Haven. I will make sure you are taken care of."

"No…No, I have to get to the temple." She protested. Shifting her legs, she tried to stand on her own, only to be meet with a spasm of pain.

"I'll look for your men for you." Cullen said pushing her back down. "You need rest."

"Kata, my sword…get my sword." Ela mumbled grabbing onto his arm. Her eyes were wide, and pleading. "Please, bring it to me."

The Qunari shock his head in disapproval. "No, Kadan. You made a promise, you must keep it. Even in death." His voice was low as he spoke, and Ela's facial expression softened. "I will look for him and the others. You must rest."

Cullen watched her face. Whatever that had to do with had seemed to calm her. The heat in her eyes seemed to leave and biting her lip she turned her head to him.

"You win, Commander. I will see your surgeon."

Nodding quickly, he turned and summoned three soldiers. They hurried to him, their metal armor jangling.

"Get her to Haven as quickly as possible. Have the surgeon take priority, she saved my life and I will have the favor returned." He gave the orders hurriedly. Placing his arm under her legs he hoisted her upward. She inhaled sharply, but otherwise made no noise as he passed her to the largest of the three men. "If I return and find she passed before reaching the surgeon, it will be on you." Cullen threatened in a hushed tone.

"Yes, sir." The man replied fearfully. "We'll get her there quickly." Readjusting her in his arms, he gave a curt nod and began the trek back to Haven.

Cullen watched them leave, his heart pounding in his chest. Part of him wondered if she would survive. The other part, wondered why he cared. The Qunari, Kata, watched as well his arms crossed over his chest. He stood as still as a stone.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he drew his attention back to his men. They stood about, hands on their weapons, eyeing the rift.

"Make certain no demons escape from this…thing." Cullen growled gesturing at the green crystals. "The rest follow me."


	4. Chapter 4: A Gift from the Rift

Cassandra looked hard at the report in her hand. The thin paper curled at the edges and it stated the same thing as the countless other ones before; there were demons falling from the sky, rifts were opening all around them, and the Breach was getting bigger with each pulse. Groaning, she laid the paper on the wooden desk in front of her. So far, they did not have even a suspect as to who had caused the explosion that had killed the Divine. Her head pulsed from irritation.

"Nothing new?" Leliana asked, looking at her from under her hood.

Cassandra shook her head no in response.

"No one has any idea as to who may have caused the explosion." She said, irritation clear in her voice. "The longer we are without answers, the farther away the culprits could get."

"They will not evade us for long, Cassandra." Leliana stated calmly. "We will find them and they will pay for their crimes."

The words were only slightly comforting to her. The Divine lay dead and she felt there was little hope in finding the culprits. For all they knew, the culprits had died in the explosion as well. Looking up at Leliana, Cassandra wondered idly how she seemed so composed in the wake of so much chaos. The Divine lay dead, the Temple of Sacred Ashes in ruins, and there were no answers in sight.

The mage, Solas, stood to the side looking up at the Breach. He had been an invaluable resource when the Breach had appeared and his help had come at the right time. Yet, for all his answers, he had none as to who could have committed the atrocity.

Her frustration grew. They were getting nowhere and the idea of the culprits going unpunished was driving her to madness.

"Cassandra!"

She turned at the sound of her name to see Commander Cullen entering the camp. A group of soldiers were accompanying him, along with….a Qunari. What was a Qunari doing with him? He stood nearly a head taller than the rest of the soldiers. They had a number of elves and dwarves within their forces, but no Qunari, and his presence made her suspicious immediately.

Holding on to her suspicion, she went to meet Cullen and inform him on what they had found. Which, in truth, was nothing. Drawing closer she noticed that their clothing was stained black and she wondered what kind of troubles they had encountered and if it had contributed to this strangers arrival.

"Commander, I am glad to see you have made it." She stopped in front of them with her arms crossed. "I have heard that Rifts have been forming around the area."

"If you speak of the things spitting out demons, then I believe we encountered one. I left some men to guard it and stop anymore demons from getting out." Cullen responded quickly.

Cassandra nodded in understanding. She glanced at the Qunari from the corner of her eye and the need to question his presence with the soldiers was almost overwhelming, but she resisted. He looked like a capable warrior and they were in need of warriors to fight demons.

"Lady Cassandra!" A man yelled.

A soldier rushed towards them from the opposite end of the bridge. He stopped in front of them his chest heaving. Three other men lagged behind him, one caring a young boy in his arms.

"What is it?" She yelled turning to him.

"A boy…a boy fell from the Breach." He said breathlessly. "There was a woman behind him, but she didn't come through."

Cassandra's heart jumped. Was this the break they were waiting for? She pushed past the man and rushed towards the other soldiers. Leliana, Solas, and Cullen followed suit and they all converged on the soldier carrying the boy.

"Who is he?" Leliana asked forcefully.

"We don't know. He just fell from the Rift." The soldier answered.

"And the woman, who was she?" Leliana demanded. "What did she look like?"

"I…I don't know," The soldier stuttered for a moment, thrown off by the woman's barrage of questions. "It was hard to see her. There was just a shape and then it was gone."

Cassandra turned her attention to the boy hoping to recognize him, but his dark skin and unruly hair was unfamiliar to her.

"He is not one of the boys from Haven." Leliana stated plainly. "Perhaps he followed the mages."

"Perhaps," Cullen stated. "He is too young for the Templars to have dragged him along."

Solas squeezed himself into the middle of the circle. "What is this?" He grabbed the boy's hand, and Cassandra turned her eyes to him, knowing that if it the mage was interested in something it was worth paying attention to.

Lifting the boys hand to the others, a flash of green appeared across his palm and the boy spasmed violently. His hand emitted a sharp crackle similar to that of the Rifts that had appeared. Cassandra's skin prickled at the sound. She watched, unmoving, as the guard struggled to hold the unconscious boy still.

Solas placed a hand on the boys head and Cassandra could feel the Veil thin as the elf used magic to soothe the boy. Soon enough his spasming stopped and he lay in the guards arm breathing slowly.

"Whatever this mark is, it is killing him," Solas said, breaking the silence. He placed the boy's arm across his chest before turning to them. "He needs to be taken to Haven. I can monitor him there and investigate this mark."

Cassandra grunted in agreement. Letting the boy die was not an option. Who knew what information he might have, what he might led them to?

"He could be dangerous," Leliana worried.

"We cannot leave him unguarded," Cassandra added. "Place him in the dungeon, until we are sure he is not a threat."

"He is only a boy, Lady Cassandra." Solas chided. "I doubt he can cause much trouble if we place him in one of the cabins at Haven with a guard."

Leliana folded her arms. "We have no idea what he is capable of," she snapped, "keeping him in the dungeon will be safer for us."

Solas' face twisted in disgust but he did not protest further. "Fine, let us go then." He stated turning his back to them. "Who knows how long the boy has before that mark on his hand ends him."

Nodding her head at the soldiers, Leliana urged them to follow the mage. "Expect us shortly after you all arrive. Cassandra and I should be the first notified when he wakes."

"I shall leave with them now," Cassandra said. "If the boy awakens earlier one of us should be there." Leliana nodded in response before turning back to the wooden table filled with reports. Following after the soldiers her mind began to race. This boy was either the culprit, or he would be able to point them in the right direction. Whatever the case was, he was a lead, which was more than they had a few moments ago.


	5. Chapter 5: Faith

Cullen let out a deep sigh as the final demon in the area feel to the steel of his sword. He let his shoulders drop for a moment and stood, shield low at his side, as he worked to get his breathing under control. His entire body ached. His shoulders especially he noted, as he rolled them backward.

When Cassandra had told him a rift was in front of the ruins of the Conclave, he had taken it upon himself to stand guard along with a band of men. It felt like the least he could do considering the circumstances, but in fact, it was the most he could do — besides staving off demons, he was useless at the moment.

To his side a young soldier had fallen to his knees, chest rising and falling. He was covered in his own blood and black slime. Cullen shoved his sword into the frozen ground and offered out his hand. It earned him a small smile.

"What's your name?" Cullen asked, his voice stern. The man straightened his shoulders as much as he could and looked him in the eye warily.

"My…my name is Jim, sir. I'm a scout, but I wanted to help here." He replied shakily. Cullen eyed the man quickly and immediately felt pity for him, he knew the look of a new recruit. Jim's shoulders were slumped, the sword hung from his hand limply, his face was plastered in sweat, and his uniform was sloppy.

"You should know to never fall to the ground in battle, Jim." Cullen instructed, "If you are caught off guard, your death will be a quick one. We can't tell when another bout of demons will be spit out from this thing."

Jim nodded in understanding as he wiped sweat from his brow with a shaky hand. Cullen hoped he was truly understood, too many young men were lost on the battlefield simply because they were unknowing new recruits. He gave him a wary glance, and turned his attention back to the Breach that sat in the sky. The boy with the mark came to his mind and he prayed to the Maker that he would lead them to some answers. He was their last hope at solving this disaster.

—

Aiden had awoken to find himself, once again, on the ground. His heart had thumped forcefully in his chest, the fear that had driven him earlier still alive, but there were no spiders, or eery mist here. Only soldiers who bore an unfamiliar crest upon their chest. They surrounded him, silent and unmoving, save for the one who had scurried out when he had awoken. He wanted to ask why they were holding him captive, where he was, where his sister was? He wanted to beg and plead for answers, but he didn't. Because he knew, if they were Templars, nothing would matter. He was dead no matter what.

Now he sat, hands bound, staring at the green mark on his left hand. Every so often it crackled viscously sending turrets of pain down his arm and causing him to cry out, piercing the unbearable silence that surrounded him. He stared at the Mark as his mind raced, thinking of everything that had happened, of all the unanswered questions he had.

The pain, however, made it hard to think. He placed his forehead against the cool iron of the shackles and practiced his breathing, something his sister had taught him to do to control pain. His stomach tightened at the thought of his sister. Where was she? Was she alive? Would she come for him? Could she save him? All the questions rushed through his mind, drowning out any other thought. She would never leave him, he knew, and the thought of her being incapable of coming to his rescue scared him even more.

'_In and out. In and out._' He repeated it over and over in his head, letting it drive out the concerning thoughts and relieve the pain.

As he sat, breathing, the door flew open and two shadowy figures entered. They moved towards him to revealing themselves to be two women, one with short black hair and one with red hair that was covered in a hood. The short haired one circled him and his eyes focused on the sword strapped to her hip.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now." The woman with dark short hair said. She stared at him intently and he wasn't sure if she expected an answer or not. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

"What…what do you mean everyone is dead?" He asked meekly.

'_Ela._'

"Explain this." She growled. The woman glared at him as she bent down and grabbed his arm, lifting it to his view. The mark on his hand flared violently and he sat still, mind racing as he tried to piece his memory together.

His mouth sat open. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know what it is, or how it got there."

"You're lying!" The woman accused leaping toward him. The red headed woman jumped in front, pushing the taller woman backward.

"We need him, Cassandra." The woman declared.

"I can't believe it. Everyone is…dead?" He asked again.

The hooded woman turned to him. "Do you remember what happened? How this began?" She inquired gazing down at him.

"I just remember running, these things were chasing me. And a woman, she was trying to help me." He spoke quickly trying to remember anything that could be important. "She reached out to me, but—-"

"Go to the Forward Camp, Leliana." Cassandra said interrupting him. "I will take him to the Rift."

Aiden looked up the woman trying to figure out what she spoke of. What was the Rift?

"What happened?" He asked.

The woman pulled him up without looking him in the eye, and turned walking out of the door. "It will be easier to show you." She said. He followed her outside and watched standing soldiers salute her and address the woman as Seeker. He had heard that title before, it was in some lesson Ela had given him.

As they came outside, the bitter cold bit into him and he froze where stood. The sky was a sickly green, and a crack sign the sky sat where the Temple of Sacred Ashes once was. The Temple itself was gone a trail of green light lead up to the crack in the sky.

"We call it "The Breach." Cassandra said. "It's a massive Rift that leads into the world of demons that grows larger with every hour. It is not the only Rift. Just the largest. All were cause by the explosion at the Conclave."

He racked his brain for any memory of an explosion, but found none.

"An explosion can do that?"

"This one did. Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world." As she spoke the Breach pulsated causing his hand to flare to life. The pain caught him of guard and he fell to his knees holding his bound hands close to him.

She crouched in front of him. "Each time the Breach expands, your Mark spreads…and it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

He nodded in understanding, to busy staring at the gaping hole in the sky to fully listen. If that had destroyed the Conclave, then his sister was dead, just like everyone else. Biting his lower lip he stared down at his bound hands.

'_No tears. She wouldn't want that._' He took a deep breathe.

"My sister was there…there at the Conclave." He whispered trying to hide the tremor in his voice. Her eyes softened for a moment as she looked at him.

"Then I am sorry for your loss," Cassandra said almost tenderly. "but everyone here, has lost someone." She locked eyes with him. "The only way to stop this madness is for you to come with me and help me close the Rift."

Aiden nodded slowly. He knew what he needed to do, knew what his sister would have wanted him to do. He took a moment to calm his mind. There was no time for fear here.

"I'll help. I can't fight well, but I'll help."

—-

The trek back up the mountain was exhausting. Besides the ever present demons, his feet felt frozen, and his hand continued to pulse with the rift in the sky. The soldiers that had accompanied them were doing their best to keep him safe, one of them had fallen to a shade back at the first rift they crossed where they had came across Solas and Varric.

The elf, Solas, had shown him how to close the Rifts. The process was painful at first, but it passed quickly enough. He had then proceeded to ask him a barrage of questions; questions that he found hard to answer. The older mage reminded him of the uptight tutors that Ela use to hire to teach him to write. All work and no fun.

The dwarf with the crossbow, Varric, was much more entertaining. Within the few moments, they had meet he had already managed to irritate the Seeker Cassandra and he didn't ask him to many questions either, just his name and if he was okay. He and the Seeker didn't seem to get along though, but she let him tag along and he was thankful for the pleasant company.

They had encountered their fair share of demons on their way to the Conclave. During battles he was ushered to the back with Varric and a stout soldier with a bow. He waited patiently until the area was clear before rushing back into the formation the Seeker had taught him. She would be in front followed by two soldiers, then him, and then Solas, Varric and the archer behind him.

The journey was a mostly silent one. The fighting was wearing on them. Their short respite at the Forward Camp was needed, but he felt they had been back on the move much to soon; though, he was happy to be away from the Chancellor. He looked down at the snow and tried to step where the Seeker stepped and spare his feet from the bitter bite of the snow.

The sound of fighting grew louder as they marched onward. The sound of fighting before had bothered him, but now, it was expected. He fell back behind the others as they cleared more ruins and another Rift came into view.

Around him, they readied their weapons and charged forward to join the fray. He stayed back, as told, and watched for an opportunity to close the Rift. The Seeker had been extremely clear in her instructions, he was to only try and close it when there were no more enemies. No sooner, and no later.

They made short work of the remaining enemies. Aiden watched as a man in a maroon cloak struck down the last shade. Quickly he made his way forward and threw his arm toward the Rift. It connected with a thin green tendril, hissed and crackled, but then, instead of imploding as the others, another wave of demons was spit out. A green long limbed demon landed in front of him, threw it's head back, and unleashed a bloodcurdling screech.

"Get him out of there!" The Seeker ordered.

"MOVE BOY!"

Aiden stared with wide eyes at the demon in front of him as a toxic looking mist pooled from its feet. His mind screamed at him to turn and run, but his feet felt as if they were part of the ground, and the drum of his heart seemed to be the only thing he could feel. The demon left into the air and tunneled it's way into the ground, disappearing from view.

"Stay out of the mist!" Someone yelled close behind him. He felt a large hand grab at the collar of his shirt and let it yank him back away from the advancing mist. The maroon clad man and the Seeker appeared at his side, a scowl on both their faces. The person holding his collar continued to drag him backwards and he found himself watching with bated breath as they charged fearlessly toward danger. Just like his sister would have.

'_I can't do this. I'm not Ela, I'll never be like Ela_.' Aiden thought to himself. '_I'll never be like any of them._' He watched as the two warriors engaged the tall demon without a second thought, they moved quickly, swung their swords almost effortlessly, and eventually the demon fell to their steel. Without stopping to catch their breath, they turned to engage the few remaining enemies.

The hand on his collar loosened and he pulled away quickly, angry at himself for needing help running away. Ela would have been furious that he had been so close to danger, but she had thrown herself at it constantly.

'_And now she's dead._' He thought bitterly.

"Kid, close the blasted thing!" Varric yelled from the side. Aiden snapped from his thoughts and turned to see that they had won. He raced forward and closed the Rift, enduring the pain with little more than a grunt. It was getting easier to close them at least.

"Sealed as before." Solas stated, moving to his side. "You are becoming quite proficient at this."

"Let's hope it works on the big one." Varric added.

Aiden sent a quick prayer to the Maker that it would.

"Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the Rift. Well done." The man said walking towards the them.

"Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the boy's doing." She responded, looking at Aiden.

"Is it?" The Commander asked absently. He looked at him hard, his eyebrows drawing together like he was trying to remember something and Aiden fidgeted under his gaze. "Well, I hope they're right about you. We lost a lot of people getting you here."

Aiden nodded, he knew many had died. "I hope I can be of help." He confessed, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

"I think we all do." The Commander replied. He finally turned back to the Seeker, and Aiden had to restrain himself from releasing an audible sigh. He turned to look once more at the Breach, when something caught his eye, the bright glint of chainmail.

Near a half-destroyed stone pillar, a lone Qunari stood, arms crossed staring right at him. His immediate instinct was to call out to him, but the look Kata wore warned him against it. If there was one thing he did know, it was when to talk, and when to stay quiet. Aiden's mind swirled with questions and new found hope grew inside of him. If Kata was alive, there was a chance his sister was too. He grinned at the thought, then quickly changed his expression when he saw Kata glaring at him.

The Seeker began to head onward and he followed suit doing his best not to stare at the Qunari. He wanted desperately to go to him and ask where Ela was, where everyone else in the Bloody Suns was? He resisted the urge though, and kept onward toward the Breach, to who knew what kind of danger.

They jumped down a ledge into what felt like another world. His stomach dropped at the sight. The ground was charred black and remains of people who had only hours earlier been alive, littered the area. They stood where they had been when the cataclysm had happened, their bodies frozen in their dying pose. They walked through the area carefully, everything smelled of sulfur and charred flesh and his nose curled at the onslaught.

They walked through the ruins of the once great temple and came to face to face with a giant green crystal. Had he not know that the Temple once stood there, he would have never guessed that it was, in fact the Temple they stood in.

"You're here. Thank the Maker!" A feminine voice exclaimed. He turned to see Leliana enter behind them accompanied by a regiment of soldiers. Her expression was grim as she looked up at the anomaly before them.

"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the Temple." Cassandra said. She turned back to face him. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

"How am I going to get up there?" He asked with genuine confusion.

Solas shook his head, before speaking. "No. This Rift was the first. Close it and we close the Breach."

"Then lets find a way down. And be careful."

He let the Seeker lead the way and followed closely behind, observing everything with inquisitive eyes.

"_Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice._"

He glanced around, but saw no source of the speaker. The feeling was both relieving and unnerving.

"What are we hearing?" The Seeker asked.

"At a guess; the person who created the Breach." Solas answered. They began to pick up their pace dodging around ominous looking red crystals that had sprouted from the ground.

"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker."

"I see it, Varric."

Looking at it, Aiden's stomach churned. There was something strangely familiar about the feeling it caused him, and he wanted to back away quickly.

"It's evil. Whatever you do don't touch it." Varric hissed.

Coming to a ledge, he followed the Seeker and jumped down doing his best to stand quickly. He moved closer to the Rift, looking at it with wide eyes. It was larger than any of the other ones they had encountered.

"_Someone help me!_" A woman's voice called out.

"_Whats going on?_"

He paused. That was his voice.

The Seeker gasped behind him. "That was your voice, she began. "most holy called out to you. But—"

She was cut off by the Breach. It sizzled and hissed, the air grew hot and a blast of light materialized from the it. He shield his eyes until the onslaught passed. Looking up he saw what could only be describes as an apparition. An older woman floated, arms outstretched, terror clear on her face. She called out for help over, and over while a black mass of smoke with red eyes stood in front of her. He stared with an open mouth as _he _appeared, running into the room, demanding what was going on. Just as the mass of smoke ordered him dead, the apparition was over.

"You were there!" The Seeker shouted. She rushed in front of him and began bombarding him with questions. None of which he had answers for. "Who attacked her? What were you doing there?"

"I don't remember!" He half-shouted.

The Seeker grunted in response and turned to the mage, Solas. They began discussing what would be necessary to close the Breach and he turned his back to them stifling his anger. A sharp pain stabbed in his head and he did his best to ignore it.

"Hey, kid, you all right?" Varric asked. He held Bianca in his arms, finger at the ready.

"I'm fine," Aiden said, nodding softly, "It's just this place…it's giving me a headache."

Varric grunted, shifting Bianca nervously. "Probably all this red lyrium," he guessed. "listen kid, just stay away from it. You have enough problems as it is."

"I will."

"Good."

"Aiden!" It was the Seeker. "Come here, we have a plan." She demanded.

Taking in a deep breath he turned to them, and listened to the Seeker as she told how they planned on closing the Breach. He would activate the Rift, which would most likely attract demons; then, he would move to the back, wait for them to handle the demons, and try and close it. Simple enough.

"Do you think you can do it?" The Seeker asked in a hushed tone as Solas walked away.

Aiden looked up at her, his eyebrows raised high. "I …I don't know." He stuttered. The Breach was bigger than anything he had closed so far. The thought of it was caused his breath to quicken.

The Seeker peered down at him, her eyes questioning. "Once it is open, get out of there as quickly as you can, and don't draw notice to yourself." She ordered him. "There can be no mistakes like last time."

He nodded curtly and cursed her for being so much like Ela.

"Alright." The Seeker said drawing her sword. "Stand ready!"

He looked up at the Breach, sent one last prayer to the Maker and threw his hand skyward. It connected and the familiar pain seared through his arm. Tendrils of green light shot out in every which way, blinding him. A wave of heat hit him and he backpedalled as soon as he felt the Mark disconnect.

A ferocious roar came from his right and he turned to see, to his horror, a Pride demon laughing.


	6. Chapter 6: Pride Demon

Aiden felt the blood drain from his face. It was massive. The pride demon stood as high as the Rift, its arms thicker than an ox, and the worst part, it wasn't alone. Two shades had exited the Rift as well. They stood only a few feet from him, their backs turned, growling and screeching. The pride demon let out a menacing roar. Its black slanted eyes gazed over them as if they were livestock and he, the shepard, carefully selecting who would be the evenings supper.

He froze where he was, suddenly aware of everything around him from the way the Veil pulsed, to the sound of the pride demons footsteps as it marched forward, to his own shallow breaths. A tremble formed in his hands at the sight of the demons; they were more than he had anticipated. Doubts began to flood his mind. Not many people survived encounters with pride demons; however, those who did, never managed get away without grievous injuries. Even Ela had to be put on bed rest the last time she faced a pride demon. She had sustained a serious concussion, a broken leg, and countless bruises.

"Kid, get a move on they're coming your way!" Varric yelled sending a barrage of arrows into the air.

Aiden's mind snapped back to the present. The two shades were racing toward him with their arms outstretched. He backpedalled slowly, his mind still trying to process the sight before him, before the alarm bells began to ring in his head and he turned, taking off at a full sprint. Stumbling, he nearly fell face first to the cold hard ground, but he used his hands to thrust himself upward, avoiding the potentially fatal mistake.

Ahead of him, Solas stood, waving his hands, beckoning for the boy to come to him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and without a second thought, Aiden sped toward him. He pumped his legs franticly, hoping that the shades did not move as quickly as he thought they did. The sound of something slicing through the air came to him and he felt the fabric of his shirt pull taunt across his chest before giving way and tearing, exposing his back to the elements. A bolt of fire blew past him and collided with one of the shades behind him, who shrieked in annoyance. The mage twirled his staff sending another bout of fire back at the shades.

He rushed past Solas and heard the mage's staff connect with one of the shades. He turned his head slightly to see the man lighting one of the enemies aflame, causing it to flail wildly, and thrusting the end of his staff into a another. Trying to slow his movements down, Aiden slipped on a slick rock and went careening forward. The world around him spun and the air was knocked out of his chest as he slammed into the ground, rolling wildly, unable to stop himself. Soon enough, he came to a stop and, wincing, pushed himself upward. The shades were gone, only piles of goo remained of them.

"Stay behind me!" Solas ordered without a backward glance. Aiden nodded his understanding, to out of breath to speak.

Th crackle of electricity drew his attention to the behemoth. It stood over the Seeker and the other with a long whip of pure electric energy, battering them mercilessly. The Seeker was covered in sweat, with her shield raised high, her chest heaving steadily, and her face set in a hard grimace. Varric stood behind her in a similar state, firing arrows one after the other at the demon; though, they did little more than shatter against its chest. The pride demon laughed at them, loud and deep, as he stepped forward, the ground quaking under his steps. The Seeker gave a ferocious war cry and charged forward followed by six warriors.

"They can't win against it." Aiden mumbled breathlessly. The demon was simply to strong, even for all of them. He tried racking his brain for any information on pride demons he had learned from his studies, or from his sister. The only thing he could remember was Ela telling him to focus on spirt based attacks, not ones that inflicted physical ailments.

A lump grew in his throat. The only spirit attack he knew was a simple mind blast, nothing that would affect this beast. He was utterly useless. Hopelessness grew in his chest, they would all die and he would be helpless. There was nothing he could do, nothing…unless.

He turned his gaze on the Rift; the Seeker's words echoing in his head. This was the thing behind everyones suffering. The reason his sister was gone. The only chance they had was if he closed it. If the Breach remained open, demons would continue to pour out and there would be no hope. Now was the perfect time, there were no other demons around, and the pride demon was too preoccupied with the Seeker slashing relentlessly at its calves to notice him.

He took a deep breath in.

'_No more fear._'

And rushed forward.

Solas shouted after him, but the words seemed muted by an odd sensation that came over him. A haze engulfed him, everything around him seemed to move slower, while he rushed forward uncontrollably fast. He came to an abrupt stop under the Rift, a soft pop emanating from him. A bout of nausea came over him and he struggled not to double over. Forcing his hand into the air, the Mark and the Rift connected.

The Rift pulsed, and popped, and hissed, but it didn't close. Instead, another blast of energy came from it, sending him tumbling backward, until he landed on all fours. His head pulsed with a fury he had never experienced before and his arm prickled distressingly.

"Now!" the Seeker called out. "Attack him while he is down."

Aiden lifted his head to see the pride demon on its knees. Whatever had emanated from the Rift, had cause it to be weakened, for the moment at least. The Seeker and the soldiers surrounded the demon, attacking it with all their might. He let his neck go limp and stared back at the ground. Despite his heavy breathing, it felt like there wasn't enough air in his lungs.

A combination of growls and screams drew his attention back to the demon. It was stirring, making quiet aggravated noises. The soldiers hurriedly backed away, their backs hunched and cowering behind their shields. Only the Seeker remained, she continued her attack, unfazed by the demons immanent recovery. Removing himself from the ground, Aiden wondered how many times it would take to actually kill the thing. His hands were shaking uncontrollably from activating the Rift and he knew he would be unable to handle much more.

The Seeker was calling for her men to attack, even as the demon rose, an unhappy growl rumbling through its chest. A few charged forward, driven by the Seeker's cry, but many hung back waiting for another opportunity.

He had expected the demon to strike out at the foes at his feet; to swat them away like nettlesome bugs. Instead, it turned his head slowly, his seven eyes scanning the battlefield. A pit formed in Aiden's stomach and he watched, with bated breath, as the demon's gaze centered on him. Its beady black eyes glowering with such a ferocity, he was sure they alone could tear him to shreds.

Giving an assertive growl, it lifted its arm, pointing it in his direction. A ball of purple light formed from its palm.

Varric called out to him franticly. "RUN!" The Seeker looked up at the dwarf, confusion apparent on her face. "Move, kid!" he yelled.

The Seeker followed his gaze and her face twisted in horror. "NO!" she cried out and, abandoning her attack on the pride demon, raced toward him.

Aiden stood, eyes wide, heart drumming in his chest at an alarming rate. He wanted to move, to turn and run, but his legs, no, his entire body throbbed with pain and the process of even stepping backwards was arduous. The demon released the attack and it lurched toward him, faster than his eyes could follow. It landed a hair's breath away from his feet and sent an explosion of electric energy outward. He threw his hands over his face at the outpouring of light and the explosion tossed him high into the air. Wind ripped past his ears, and the blood in his head drained almost to quickly to bare. When he was sure he was going to loss conciseness, he began spinning back down. He landed hard on his back with a sickening crunch. He bounced off the ground and flopped onto his side. A voice cried out from somewhere behind him.

"SOMEONE GET HIM!"

He lay there for a moment, his mind trying to make sense of the confusion. He wasn't dead, yet. The scent of his own burnt flesh assaulted his nose and his urge to vomit increased. Breathing raggedly, he tried to asses the damage on his body. His sister had always told him that was the first step in staying alive. The skin on his arms was singed and he could feel the painful marks that the demons attack had left across his forearms. His back pulsated dreadfully, his head throbbed with more fury than before, and his each breath he took was accentuated with a stab of pain. The ground quivered under him and he could tell without looking that the demon was advancing toward him.

"GET HIM!"

"MOVE!"

The patter of footsteps grew in intensity. The additional noise made it even harder for him to focus.

He peeled open his eyes to be meet with a new found pain, and blurry vision. He could barely make out his own hand, only a mess of color. Shifting upward, his head banged and he hissed, but did not falter. Using his throbbing arms he lifted himself to his knees. The world rocked back and forth before him, and his body hitched this way, and that, unable to keep its balance.

Before him, a mass of varying purples advanced forward. The thump of its footsteps matched in time with the pulse of his head and they sounded so distant despite how close it was. A growl came from it, drowning out all other sounds, and he wondered if his death would be quick.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to see it, the strike that would kill him. He thought of his sister and everything she had done for him. How she had came back from the Avvar clan, just to save him; how she always made sure he had a bed, or a cot to sleep on. He hadn't said thank you enough, he knew. And now, he couldn't even close the Rift. It was the only thing he could do to make things right and he couldn't do it. So he sat, and waited, listening to the quake of the demons footsteps grow ever closer. Waiting for the final blow.

It didn't come.

A loud knell came from in front of him and the demon let out another roar. He opened his eyes slowly, his lids heavy and caked with blood, to see a blurry figure of a someone with a shield standing above him. Was it the Seeker? He couldn't tell. Someone called out to him over the blare of the demon' s angry bellowing, but it was unintelligible to him. A vibration rocked his bones and caused a sharp pain in his side. As the demons roar subsided, the voice called out again.

"Get up." It said serenely.

It was so familiar to him, so satisfying to hear.

"Get up." The voice urged again.

Realization came over him. "Ela?" he called out hoarsely. "Ela?!" His heart pounded violently as he tried to stand, pushing down on one knee to gain leverage. His legs trembled and gave out, letting him crumble back down.

The pride demon let out another roar and he could hear what sounded like flesh meeting steel. He gazed in front of him, trying to make out what was happening. A bright light formed suddenly, and another explosion rang out. Rocks and dirt collided with his face as the wind rushed past. He clenched his eyes against the bombardment, hoping that they had caused it and not the demon.

A hand wrapped around his arm, shaking him slightly. He gave a soft gasp of surprise. Peeling his eyes open slowly, it took him a moment to register the foggy world around him. Greens, and browns, and grey mingled together, blurring everything together. He blinked forcefully, trying to clear his vision.

"Come on." He felt the person move closer to him. Their grip on him tightened, giving him a encouraging nudge.

He shook his head trying to clear away the pain from his mind. Opening his eyes, he saw the bright oval face of his sister.

He felt his mouth pull into a wide grin.

"You have to get up." She told him.

"I though you were dead." he mumbled sitting back on his legs despite the discomfort. His head lulled forward and she grabbed it quickly, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"You have to close it."

"I can't."

"You _have_ to."

He bobbed his head slowly in agreement.

"Can you walk?"

"No, it's to much."

She nodded her head, wrapping her arm behind his back and lifting him from the ground. He tried to work with her to no avail. She drug him quickly, past, what he assumed, was the demon as it growled and keened, toward the heap of greens that was Rift.

"Where did you go?" he asked his voice lamented with sorrow. "You left me."

"Focus." came the curt reply.

"Ela—"

"Focus! You have to close it." The reply stung him, but he threw it from his mind. She was right. She was always right. The intensity of greens increased in his vision and she stopped them when they were almost under it.

She spoke quickly to him, throwing her head back every so often to look back at the demon. "Do it now, hurry!"

Giving his sister one last look he threw his hand upward and succumbed to the pain.


	7. Chapter 7: Dangerous Assumptions

Cullen stood in the doorway of the healer's cabin, frigid air whirled around him building a mound of snow at his feet. The mercenary captain, Ela, was laid inside on a makeshift cot a single fur pelt thrown over her. He had been standing there, staring at her, for longer than he would have liked to admit. The thought of her passing had plagued his mind since she they had parted ways. She saved his life, after all. When he returned to Haven he had been too bogged down by the surge of new recruits and general chaos the Breach had caused to come and inquire about her health. When he finally found the time, the healer was nowhere to be found. Even now, after the Breach had stopped growing and the chaos from earlier had died down, there was no sign of him. For now, a rather cranky apothecary had taken over and he, and everyone else, was to busy to tell him how she was doing. So he had come himself, only to stand in the doorway frozen by his nerves.

The woman had clearly expressed her distrust of him. No. Not distrust, something more. The way she had looked at him with so much viciousness, so much rage. Her eyes wide and alert. An air of defiance had been about her; he was sure that if he had tried to force her to go to Haven, she would have put up a tougher fight than the one the Herald and Cassandra had faced the day before. Fear, that's what it was. He couldn't blame her for feeling it. She was a mage in the middle of a war; hunted at every turn by templars who didn't care if she was decent folk or not.

The meeting last night with Cassandra and Leliana had offered even more insight into her situation. From the information they had shared with one another, they had concluded that the Herald and Ela were siblings. The purple eyes were a good giveaway. The fact that they were both mages another, but he had not been sure of it until Cassandra told him that the Herald had called her someone named Ela after he had hit his head. Apparently, the boy thought his sister had been killed at the Conclave like so many others.

The news had given Cassandra a renewed vigor. She wanted the woman apprehended immediately for questioning. She wanted to know everything, how she survived, who they were, why they were there. The Seeker had almost sent out a group of soldiers to carry the woman to the dungeons. He had protested against it however, his gut telling him that the mercenary captain knew nothing of what had happened. She was most likely just trying to see if her brother was alive. In an effort to stave off Cassandra's hunt, he had agreed to try and question the woman himself. It did not bother him much, he had already planned on checking on the woman's condition, and it was better him, than a stranger who she had not dealt with before. He knew how mages thought. If a stranger came to her questioning about the Breach, about her brother, she would never trust them. At the first opportunity she would take her brother, and run.

Cullen hoped that their prior alliance would allow her some amount of trust in him; hoped it would allow her to listen without suspicion of ulterior motives. Even if she believed he was a templar, he had been kind to her and, hopefully, that - along with the information on her brother -would allow her to trust him. All he needed was a modicum of her trust to prove that he was a decent man, that the Inquisition was filled with decent people. Then, and only then, could he work at getting answers.

Another gust of wind slapped at his back, tossing in more clumps of snow and scattering discarded papers. The cold was beginning to seep through his gloves and nip at his hands. Taking a deep breath, Cullen stepped into the cabin closing the door behind him. The howling of the wind dulled and only the quiet crackling of the fire on the opposite wall and the sound of Ela's ragged breaths remained. He made his way to the cot stepping over empty bottles and papers that littered the floor. He stopped when he was a foot away.

She was fast asleep, her eyes flittered back and forth behind her eyelids, her shapely eyebrows knitted together in discomfort. The need to help her was almost overwhelming, but what could he do? Waking her seemed wrong, she had sustained serious injuries, she needed her rest. It was better to let her sleep than to wake her to tell her of her brother. Her tongue swiped at chapped, bleeding lips periodically. Cullen glanced around the cabin looking for a basin of water, or a flask, but found none. The lack of a source of water made him wonder if she had been forgotten; there were a number of wounded in Haven that needed attending to, and not enough hands, but he had given explicit orders that she be taken care of.

He made a mental note to berate the first healer he could about leaving her in this condition. The wound on her brow wasn't even stitched up, a yellowish salve had just been spread over it. To his relief there was no swelling on her face, just slight bruises speckled the area around her eye. Or were they freckles?

He took another step forward. Leaning over her, he examined the speckling of bruises that mingled with near identical freckles. They spread from her forehead to her nose and across her cheeks, they were only a shade darker than her skin, almost unnoticeable.

The scent of lyrium hit his nose, it hung heavy in the air around her, sweet and inviting. It pulled at a need deep within him and his mouth went dry. He licked his lips and shifted awkwardly on his feet trying to ignore its enticing scent. When was the last time he had used?

"Commander,"

He jerked backward, turning on his heel abruptly. A lithe gray haired elf stood in the doorway, a roll of cloth and two flasks held close to her chest. The door hung open letting the low light of the setting sun and the green eery glow of the Breach stream in, casting dark shadows across her face. She gave him a shaky, unsure bow and he wondered if she preformed the gesture to every human she greeted.

"Adan told me you were asking after this woman," she stated plainly keeping her gaze downward. She moved toward the cot and Cullen stepped to the side, folding his hands behind his back in an effort to be less imposing. The elf peeled back the pelt and the metallic scent of blood quickly consumed the cabin.

The armor she had worn the previous day had been stripped from her, tossed on a raggedy wooden table, now she wore a long cotton shift that clung to her body drenched with sweat and a dark splotch of crimson above her wound. The shift did little to hide her form and he averted his gaze.

The elf gave a quiet 'tsk' at the sight. "I'll need to change her bandages and check fer an infection," she rolled the pelt beneath the woman's feet and rolled up her sleeves. "I'm not sure if we'll be able to help her if one has set. Do you mind?" She gestured for him to turn his back and he nodded.

He turned making his way over to the fireplace. It had done little to subdue the chill in the air and he grabbed a log and fed it into the fire. It crackled happily at the offering, a small wave of heat was released in return. Cullen rested his arm on the thin mantle and stared into the orange haze as the elf worked in silence.

"What injuries did she sustain?" he asked finally.

"She needed fifteen stitches if you just want to know the worst of it."

"I don't."

The elf gave an audible sigh before answering him. "Well, she had a broken arm we managed to mend, but it'll be stiff fer a'while. A rib was broken as well. It isn't healed yet. The wound on her side missed her major organs, but she won't be up and walking anytime soon. And she shouldn't try to either," she paused and he could hear her opening the flasks. "She'll most likely have some confusion when she awakens. Is there anyone who could help her?"

He took a moment to think on the question. She was the Herald's sister, and he was in a similar state. The Qunari and the rest of her band had left early that morning; he hadn't seen hide nor hair of them since and he wasn't sure if they would actually return. There was no one else that they knew to be associated with the two of them. No one to care for them, or help them. They only had each other.

"I'm not sure," he responded after a moment.

"I've finished, sir." the elf stated, he turned to see her pulling the pelt back over the woman. "Should I have someone watch over her until she awakens then?"

"No, no, she wouldn't take kindly to strangers." he said quickly. "Have someone come by every so often to check on her condition, with water, other than that leave her be. When she awakens send someone for me." he commanded. "If I find that she's been neglected again, there'll be hell to pay." She gave another bow before scurrying out of the cabin.

He kept his place at the fire, watching the woman's chest rise and fall, wondering if she would pull through. She was strong he could tell, but she had lost much in a short amount of time, and he had seen that tear down the strongest of men. He let out another deep sigh. It was going to be a long week, and he prayed that she would make it through. If his intuition proved correct, her brother would need her.

—

Kata tossed another ruined tent to the side. There camp was a mess and their search was going nowhere. Albeit their camp was a mess before, it was worse now. Someone had ripped through their tents, ravaging through their belongings and taking anything of value. Ripped cloth and the occasional undergarment was all that was left scattered through the ever climbing snow. Lilith stood ahead of him, knee deep in the fluff, picking up piece after piece only to throw them back down again, frustration apparent on her face.

The snow was falling relentlessly and the sun was beginning to set past the mountaintops, its reddish light mixing with the Breach's. The sight made his stomach clench. Kadan would have found it breath taking though, she always enjoyed sights like this for reasons he would never understand. The only thing he did know was that her imekari was alive and well, and she would need her sword to get him back.

"Creators," Evsa cursed from his side, "there's nothing left." She overlooked the debris with angry eyes, clutching the remnants of what he assumed to be a robe. "Whoever went through our things took anything of value. There's no point in digging through the snow, we should just retire to Haven."

He grunted in response. She had been complaining since he had roused them early that morning.

"This is not pleasant for me Serrebas. I do not expect it to be pleasant for you." he stated firmly. "The sooner we find the sword, the sooner we return. "Raising a gloved a hand he produced a ripped light blue cloth. "It was wrapped in this. Find it."

He made to turn away from her, to continue his search through the snow, when Evsa gave a defiant growl. "A sword won't help her now!" she hissed. "She needs us more than she needs a sword! You brutes always think things can be fixed through-"

"Pashaara!"

She flinched at the word.

"Assist or leave," he declared, "but do not bother me again." He turned away from her, focusing back on the ruined tent he had tossed aside.

The commotion drew Lilith's attention. The blond haired woman looked on with stern eyes and hands on her hips, she gave him a beckoning nod. He returned in kind before trudging over to her. She met his gaze with a fervent glare. The woman was only as high as his chin, but she stood back straight as an arrow, arms crossed across her chest, demanding respect, demanding attention.

"Basalit-an," he addressed. "What do you require?"

Lilith took a deep breath in. "Aiden is alive," she began. "The Boss is half-dead, and you have us digging in the snow." She accentuated each word carefully adding as much emphasis as possible. "It is not surprising that Evsa is acting the way she is," she continued, "she is cold, and battle worn. The girl has only been with us half the year, most of that spent walking around Thedas. If we inform her of the circumstances that require the sword, she may be more likely to assist."

His chest flared with rage. It was the most outlandish idea he had ever heard from the woman. The elves were judgmental and nearly as close-minded as the Qunari. How would a Dalish react to finding out their leader shared a body with a spirit? He himself had not taken the news positively. When Kadan had told him of her predicament, he had drawn his sword, ready to strike her down. The only reason he had relented and followed her was because she had saved his life, shown him how to live without the Qun, given him direction when he could find none.

"No."

"Maker's breath!"

"She is still new, Kadan would not want it."

Lilith threw her hands skyward in frustration. "I doubt it will matter if she dies!" She noted in a hushed tone leaning toward him.

Kata stood stoic for a moment, considering the idea.

"We've already lost Raul, may he be returned to the stone," she added quickly, "but we cannot lose Ela because you spent your time squabbling with someone who is easily replaceable. She needs that sword to recover. It's the only way she'll be able to get Aiden back."

She reminded him to much of a Tamassran, he felt like a child again. The heat that had flared in his chest moments ago died down as he considered the idea. It seemed a simple solution. Kill the elf if she tried to put their leader in danger, but he knew better than to believe anything was simple. It would do to stop the elf's complaining, however. After a while, he gave a soft grunt of approval.

"If it comes to it, I want no parts of it." he conceded.

"I'll handle it." she promised grinning. She called to Evsa as she moved past him, a smile still on her face. A thin arm wrapped around the elf's waist and pulled her close as Lilith told her of their leader's predicament. His ears strained to hear them, but the howling wind drowned them out. A feeling of uncertainty began to creep into his chest. This was a dangerous game they played too often.

It was bad enough that they had lost so many members. Now there were only four left, four out of sixteen men. Lilith was a capable Serrabas, strong and well versed in her art, she had been the third one to join their mercenary band and had shown nothing, but loyalty since that day. The other one however, Evsa, was proving to be less useful than he and Kadan had hoped. She still acted as if she was with her clan, her ideals clouding her judgement at time. It was a problem he had experienced himself.

Letting out an exasperated sigh he trudged through the snow to, where he presumed, Kadan's tent had been pitched. He racked his brain for where she usually hid her precious items. It was always a guessing game with her. She never hid them in similar spots, paranoid that someone, mainly her imekari, would catch on. Despite her paranoia, she never hid the sword far. He turned to face the tree line, it seemed a likely hiding spot. She had a habit of using obvious landmarks to hide her items, a habit he thought foolish. The trees were all in a similar state, their trunks bent backwards, limbs twisted and broken off.

Falling to his knees at the nearest trunk, he thrust his hands into the snow and began digging. His gloves did little to stave off the bite of the snow, but he kept on, moving from side to side, digging until he hit the hard, frozen ground. Ahead of him he saw Lilith and Evsa begin searching again, it was a good sign he supposed. Moving to the next tree he began the process again, than to the next, and the next. It was beginning to look hopeless. If someone had found the sword they would be very powerful, for a short while at least. He wasn't sure of the specifics, but Kadan had told him enough to convince him that it was evil, healing properties and all. She should have done away with it years ago, but she was stubborn and held to much pride to let the precious heirloom be destroyed.

Something hard and rough whacked against his fingers. Running his hand along the object, a smirk pulled at his lips. Wrapping his fingers around the cold iron sheath he yanked it from the snow. The blue cloth that had covered the sword was gone and the scratched sheath was covered in small spots of rust that had formed long ago. The hairs not he back of his neck stood on end as he brushed the snow from the sword. He snatched up a piece of ripped cloth and winded it around the sword until it was hidden from his view. Swiping the snow from his legs, he made his way back to the others, sword held tight in hand. Lilith was the first to notice him.

"I have found it." he said raising the wrapped item slightly.

"Ah, good," she raised herself from the snow and moved to him, taking the sword in hand. "Evsa took the news moderately well," she whispered. "I'll keep an eye on her till I'm sure she isn't going to turn on us anytime soon."

He nodded gazing over at the red-head. The news was good, for now. He doubted if they could really trust the Serrabas, but at this moment they had to take what help the could get. They needed to build their band back up. Safety laid in numbers, and they had few.

—-

She was surrounded by an ink-black gloom, it was all encompassing, suffocating, but she felt no fear. She had been here before. The place between life and death, deep within her own mind that beckoned to her whenever she was close to the end. Ela let herself drift down into the void, the outside world nothing more than a distant buzz now, the pain she felt earlier gone, replaced by a beautiful numbness. It was a comforting feeling.

Another consciousness sat just beyond the blackness, trying to worm its way in and exert its will. She tried to ignore it. It surrounded her black sanctuary, squeezing every so often trying to find a chink in her mental armor. The spirit was persistent in its efforts to reach her, but then again it was always persistent. It wanted her to live, desperately so, and it sat on the other side of the blackness chattering away trying to sway her opinion.

'You cannot give up.' it declared pointedly, squeezing the space around her.

"Why not?" Ela asked exhaustion clear in her voice. Her willpower had been sapped considerably from holding the spirit at bay and she didn't know how much longer she could hold it back. The spirit must have felt the same, usually, by now, it would yank her from the void and send her slamming back to her physical body.

'Our job is not yet finished.'

"Your job perhaps."

'We are the protectors of your family.' The spirit flared slightly, bright and overbearing. 'You have a duty.'

It was getting closer. She felt herself begin to falter. "Let me go," she pleaded. "My brother is gone. He doesn't need me anymore…no one needs me anymore."

'You cannot pass yet.' it stated, growing closer. She could feel its warmth begin to wrap around her.

"Leave me be!" she cried out, attacking the invading force with all the strength she had left. "I don't want to be here anymore! I don't want to be anyone's protector!"

The spirit rushed toward her, pulling her from the darkness. 'It is your burden! You will bear through it.' the voice affirmed pushing her back into her body. 'You have not completed your duties yet.'

A cry flew from her lips as the pain of her injuries returned to her full force. Her body felt like it was on fire: her side throbbed fiercely, her face pulsed, her arm felt as if it was stuck full of needles. Something clattered to the floor causing her heart to race and a warm arm wrapped around her shoulders. She jerked away on instinct, her eyes shooting open. Kata's crimson eyes came into view.

Ela let out a long sigh, dropping her head back down against his arm\ she focused on her breathing, letting his piney scent fill her nostrils with each breath. Kata waited patiently for her to calm down before offering a worn flask to her lips. She accepted it greedily, forcing down the cold liquid in big gulps. She felt him swallow a lump in his throat and knew a tongue lashing was ahead.

"You should have dodged." he stated calmly setting the flask down. "You could have dodged."

She pushed herself upward, her side pounding in protest. "I know," was her simple reply. He huffed at her, his nostrils flaring and his eyes narrowing, asking her the obvious question of why she hadn't. It never left his lips though. He just sighed, his hand absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder.

"Kadan?"

"Hmm," she groaned.

"Dodge next time."

A chuckle escaped her before she collapsed back down, curling her body inward. The chainmail of Kata's armor bit into her cheek adding to the pain she felt. She ignored it and let herself shed a few silent tears. They flowed down her face in thick streams, tinking against Kata's armor. She let only a small stream of emotions flow from the dam that she had erected to keep herself sane; yet, the pain from it bogged her mind in a thick fog. Tucking her legs to her chest something cold and firm slid down her leg, she knew without looking what it was. It was the reason the pain of her wounds had begun to fade, the reason the spirit had over powered her. That damn sword. Ela cursed it inwardly, the irony of the matter all too apart to her. The one time she no longer wants it, there it is.

Kata shifted under her awkwardly, doing his best to not disrupt her too much. "I have news." he uttered after a moment. Wiping the tears from eyes with a bare arm, she sat up to face him. His face was still impassive as he looked at her, but she saw through the assumed indifference. All his emotions laid in his eyes, all the worry, the pain, the anger; it was all there just beneath the surface. Whoever had said that their race felt nothing was full of shit.

"Did you find a body?" she asked quietly, her voice hoarse. "Did you find anything? Anything at all?"

He shook his head and her chest tightened.

"What then?" her voice quivered. "What then?"

"Kadan, the imekari is alive." he revealed calmly.

"W-what?"

"Aiden is alive."

She sat staring at him, her eyes glazed over, her jaw slack, her mind unable to understand the weight of his words. "My brother-" she started.

"Is alive." Kata finished.

The news hit her with the weight of a bronto kick to the chest, and she sure she would collapse at any moment. "How?" she asked hollowly, a lone tear sliding down her face.

He told her everything he knew; what the hole in the sky was, about her brother's captors, the Mark on his hand — which alarmed her more than anything else — then he went on to inform her about Evsa's newfound knowledge over her. It was disconcerting to say the least. She had only decided on a select few knowing of her…condition, and she did not think the elf was ready for that kind of delicate information.

She threw her legs over the cot, tossing the heavy pelt to the side, sending the sword clattering to the ground. Stitches dug into her side painfully. She ignored it. The sword had done enough to get her moving.

"How long have I been asleep?" Ela inquired hastily, limping over to the bench where her clothing sat and examining her gear. The breast plate was salvageable, as was the rest of her gear, save for the leather jerkin. Two long rips rant through the side of it stained black with blood. She ran a finger over the frayed edges of the tear, the attack from the demon running through her head again.

"Nearly three days." Kata answered rising from his seat. He picked up a roll of bandages and moved to her side. "The last I saw of the imekari he was still considered a prisoner, though, now, many of the Bas see him as their savior."

She pulled the cotton shift off herself and threw it to the ground. Bandages covered her entire torso, all stained crimson, and all reeking fiercely. "Sent from the Maker, I'm sure." she muttered as Kata worked at replacing the bandages. "We need to get him and get far, far away from here."

Kata grunted in agreement lifting her injured arm gingerly. "You should pin your arm down," he suggested looking over it.

"Where are the others?" she asked ignoring him. Her arm was indeed in bad shape, it was stiff as a board and her thumb and forefinger were not responding as they should have. She did not need Kata fussing over it.

"Outside, watching the village."

"Where is Aiden?"

"Inside one of the village huts."

"Guards?"

"Two outside," he replied. "We will have to make it past the Commander's troops to reach him."

"Will it be hard?"

"No." he answered, latching the last of the buckles for her breast plate. "Let me pin your arm."

"I'll be fine," she protested, but he grabbed the limb anyway and using a spare piece of cloth looped it over her torso and shoved her arm inside. "Mother hen," she grumbled under her breath in irritation. Ignoring her, he tightened the cloth until he was sure it was secure.

"I'll need the sword." she said making a motion grab it.

"No," he said pulling her away from it gently, "I'll be your weapon." He scooped the sword up for himself. She snorted at his declaration, but agreed. He motioned for her to sit on one of the low stools and she obliged while he went outside and gathered Lilith and Evsa.

Ela took the small moment of privacy to take a deep breath and collect her thoughts. Her mind was racing. Aiden was alive, with a strange mark on his hand, and held captive by this Inquisition. It was mind boggling to think that the he had somehow survived the explosion at the Conclave, relieving, but mind boggling. She couldn't imagine the stress that he was under.

The door swung open and the remnants of her band marched in, Kata taking up the rear. Lilith didn't waste a second to embrace her. She ran to her, blonde hair streaking behind her, and tossed her arms around her neck. Ela returned the gesture slowly, carefully, patting her back with her one free.

Evsa stood to the side, brown eyes downcast, knuckles white as she clutched her staff.

"So you know," Ela said parting from Lilith. "I know it seems bad, but this wasn't my choice. It was never my choice. The spirit is well contained, I can assure you. If yo -"

"I don't know if I can believe that," she murmured, letting an awkward silence, thick and heavy, come over the room. Ela felt herself holding her breath. Kata stood behind the elf, his muscles bunched and tight under his armor, waiting patiently to cut her down at a moments notice.

"But you're different," she went on, "that I can see. All this time and I never even guessed. Then, you saved me, when you could have just killed me. And you paid me. I don't agree with it, but I think I'll stick around…for now. I owe you that much."

Ela smiled, a wave a relief washing over her. Kata relaxed, his shoulders dropping back down. "I'm glad to hear that." she said nodding, the relief she felt clear in her tone. Lilith smiled wide and placed her hand on her hips content with herself. "Then we have another issue to discuss." Ela informed standing from her seat.

The mood of the room sobered.

"My brother," she began. "He is being held by this…Inquisition for whatever is on his hand. It controls these Rifts, and it stopped the growth of that thing in the sky. I will not ask you all to fight for me when the possibility of death is so high. It is my burden, and mine alone. But, I wil- I cannot leave him here." she corrected herself. "There is no money in this, no reward, nothing that I can giv-."

"Oh, shove it," Lilith interrupted. "We've been with each other for almost as long as you've had that boy. We're family, an odd one, but a family nonetheless."

"I will not abandon you, Kadan."

"I'll stand with you." Evsa pledged.

A comforting warmth formed in her chest. It took everything in her not to cry at their pledges of loyalty.

"Then let's get to work." she said straightening her back.

They developed a plan quickly. In the early morning, they would leave to retrieve her brother and then find a way out of the village. She let her men rest for the night, staying up to keep watch herself while meditating in an attempt to erect a barrier between her and the spirit. Letting their consciousness meld was not an option. She sat crosslegged atop the raggedy table till the rays of the early morning began to stream through the window. Waking her men, she let them devour a quick meal before heading out.

The wind immediately slapped her in the face, stinging her cheeks, she pulled the hood over her in attempt to keep her warmth. Following the downtrodden path to the village, her heart dropped when she saw that a group of soldiers were already up and training. Lilith patted her shoulder reassuringly. They made their ways through the gates quickly, keeping their heads down.

Villagers stared as they passed by, their eyes drawn by Kata's bulky form and curved horns; the attention made her nervous and she moved faster, trying to memorize where her brother's cabin was on Lilith's crude map. Rounding a corner its obvious. Just as Lilith said, two guards stand next to the door with swords at their hips.

To Ela, making their way to the guards felt like an eternity. It was only a short distance, ten steps at the most, but every step felt like it took ten years. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She wanted to rush ahead, bust into the cabin, pick up her brother, and run. Never looking back at Haven, or the cursed Breach.

The guards eye them suspiciously as they approached, their hands moving to rest on their sword hilts. Ela licks her lips. Kata moves to her side putting on his best glare.

"I've come to see the boy, Aiden, the Herald of Andraste," she stated calmly despite the pounding of her heart.

The guards look straight ahead. "We cannot allow you entry, Lady Cassandra's orders." they replied unwaveringly. "Only the healer and his assistants may enter."

Ela scuffed under her breath. "I am his sister, Ela, leader of the Bloody Suns Mercenary band." she declared. "This lady and her orders mean nothing to me. You will allow me to enter, or I will enter without your approval. The latter will result in bodily injury for you, I can assure that."

One of the guards snarled at her, drawing his sword with a hiss. "Sister, or not you will not enter while I still draw breath." The second guard, warily, followed suit.

Crunching snow and murmuring voices sounded behind them, her skin prickled from the eyes laid on her back, they had an audience. The spirit pulsed inside her, yearning to take control. Her barrier held.

Snapping her fingers deftly, her team jumped into action. Kata slammed the head of the first guard against the cabin's wall, the poor man didn't fall unconscious immediately and he gave it another slam till his body went limp. Ela lunged at the second guard casting a spell of sleep over him. She fiend a punch to make it look as if she had knocked him unconscious and caught him by his jerkin as he fainted. Lilith and Evsa had erected a barrier between them and the rest of Haven. The villagers flew into a fit, screaming and cursing and calling for their heads. The crowd was growing larger by the moment.

Kata dragged the unconscious guards out of the way, then took his post next to the door, moving the cloth from the sword hilt on his back. The two mages stood on opposite side of the barrier their staffs raised. Everything was going as planned.

"HALT!" a voice rang out.

Ela stopped mid-step. Turning, she saw an armored woman had bullied her way through the crowd; a group of soldiers stood behind her, their hands hovering over their sword hilts.

"Who are you?" she asked through a thick Nevarran accent, stopping in front of the shimmering blue barrier.

Ela observed the woman from under her hood carefully as she moved in front of her. Her eyes were narrow and firm. They were familiar to Ela; they were the eyes of a woman who would move mountains to achieve her goals. Lifting her hands slowly, she pulled the hood back and the woman's eyes light up with a hunger at the sight.

"I am the Herald's sister," she stated loudly, raking her eyes across the gathered crowd. "And I have come for my brother."

"I am Cassandra Pentaghast," the woman said with a growl. "and the Herald is under the protection of the Inquisition. If you are, as you say, his sister, then you should not mind dispelling this barrier and coming with me. I have questions for—"

Ela chuckled sardonically. "In fact, I do mind."

Cassandra's face crinkled at the interruption. She drew her sword in one quick movement. "Then I will not allow you to enter that cabin." she declared.

Ela chuckled again. "Lady Cassandra, you are not in a position to stop me." she said motioning to the barrier with a smile on her face. "And, even if you were," she glanced over at Kata who stood beside her, his claymore raised in preparation. "You would find the task a difficult one. My brother may be under the protection of the Inquisition, but — from what I understand — he has endured more injury while under you protection than he ever has with me. When he awakens, I will take my brother and we will leave this blasted place behind."

Angry shouts came from the crowd.

She ignored them, turning her back. The woman threatened her from behind, shouting that they would never let her leave with the Herald, she was surrounded, she could never escape through force. She ignored her too. The sword strapped to Kata's back would ensure their escape.

Making her way to the door, she took a deep breath in, preparing to see her brother battered and beaten. Before she even laid a hand on the door handle, the veil thinned, something popped, and Evsa cursed. She snapped her head around to see a bald mage assaulting their barrier. Lilith and Evsa did their best to reinforce it, but, whoever the mage was, he was strong. The barrier caved under his assault. She rushed forward knowing that Kata would not waste a second to engage the woman.

Someone cursed, a woman screamed, and swords hissed out of their sheaths.

—-

Cullen had thought his day was going smoothly. He had slept peacefully through the entire night, his hair had worked with him, and breakfast was tolerable; yet, here he was, wedged between a rock and a hard place. Namely, a Qunari and Cassandra.

While looking over a map of Haven to find space for their new recruits, a soldier had barged into his tent, raving about the Herald being kidnapped. He didn't need a description to know who it was. Setting off without letting the soldier finish, he had come to find the situation far worse than he had imagined. Rounding the corner, he came to see Solas destroying a barrier, and the Qunari and Cassandra lunging at each other. Despite his better judgment, he shoved his way through the crowd, ordered his men to stand down, and thrown himself in the middle. The Maker had to be smiling on him, he thought, no one had stabbed him…yet.

Now, the massive horned man stood in front of him, claymore raised to his throat, the herald's sister at his side. Amethyst eyes bored into him, hard and unyielding, surrounded by tresses of charcoal hair that fell to her waist. Her arm was laid on his, the only reason the Qunari hadn't cut him down.

"Cullen, stand aside." Cassandra growled through clenched teeth. He could feel her eyes burning into the back of his head.

"Stand down, Cassandra," he said glancing over his shoulder. "Let me handle this." The mercenary captain shifted in front of the Qunari, her arm still resting on his massive bicep, her eyes focused on Cassandra in a hard glare.

"Commander," the captain said glancing his way. "Glad to see you are well."

"And I you," he replied steadily, glancing down at the blade. "Though, this isn't how I thought we would meet again." She patted the Qunari's arm and he, reluctantly, lowered his sword. Cullen nodded in thanks, before turning and motioning for Cassandra to do the same. She groaned in disgust, but obliged.

"I've come to see my brother, Commander."

"I can see that." he said sternly, "you could have approached me first."

The mercenary captain shook her head in disagreement before replying. "Your inquisition has done enough to him, taking him prisoner, dragging him along on an assault on the Breach. He nearly died!"

"He agreed to help us!" Cassandra shouted lurching forward. The Qunari's muscles clenched and he lunged to meet her, but the mercenary captain slapped her arm against his chest, stopping him in an instant.

"So you say." the captain grumbled.

"Cassandra, we can resolve this." Cullen argued without turning.

"Can we?" the captain asked.

"We can. We just need to work with one another. Allow me to accompany you inside, unarmed, we can clear up these misunderstandings. You can see your brother." Cullen suggested.

"This is a foolish idea." Cassandra voiced.

He ignored her.

"There is no need for us to fight one another," he added stepping forward, "we can help you and your brother and you can help us. There is more going on here than what either of us can see on the surface." She gave him a hard look. He was sure she was going to deny his request.

"Kata guard the door." the captain ordered turning toward the cabin. The Qunari grunted in understanding, shifting to let Cullen pass. Cassandra protested profusely, a few of his soldiers as well. He assured her that it would be okay, passed his sword to a nearby soldier, and followed the woman inside. The door closed soundly behind them.

The inside of the cabin was stuffy, filled with stale air, and dark. The Herald was laid on a bed, a wet cloth laid on his forehead, murmuring in his sleep. The mercenary captain rushed to his bedside falling to her knees. She ran a hand through his curly hair kissing his cheek.

He stayed by the door, feeling completely out of place, and watched her nozzle the boy lovingly. The resemblance between the two was painfully obvious now: the raven unruly hair, the full lips, the jewel like eyes, the light brown skin, all of it was the same.

"Thank you." she whispered it, almost inaudibly, before clearing her throat and repeating it again. "Thank you, for calming that down out there. And, I suppose, I should apologize…for causing it."

"There were other ways to go about this," he said crossing his arms, " a lot of people could have been hurt."

"Didn't know what else to do," she replied simply, " from what I understood you all were holding him prisoner."

"Ah, well, we were…at first." Cullen revealed his tone lightening. Spotting two stools he pulled them over to the bed and offered her one for. Thanking him quietly she took a seat. Cullen cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair. "I assume you would like to know what happened to him." She nodded. "Well, your brother, he helped us. He agreed to help us try and close the Breach. Lady Cassandra and the mage who took out your barrier ket him alive. There were many who wished to take him to Val Royeaux to be put to trial, but Cassandra kept them from him."

"Well he didn't exactly escape unscathed." she hissed quietly. "But…I suppose I owe the woman an apology."

Cullen was happy to hear that.

"So what do you need to know of me?" she asked sucking a deep breath in.

Cullen cleared his throat. "The most pressing matter is how managed to survive at the Conclave?"

"I wasn't there…not when it happened anyway. I had to go back to camp to retrieve one of the mages who hired my company."

"The tall woman with you?"

"No…a man, it was strange. He wasn't there when I arrived. His tent was empty and before I could even try and find him…boom." she muttered mimicking an explosion with her hand.

The Commander's face twisted at the news, but he continued on with his questions. "Who are you two? Where do you come from?"

"My name is Ela, my brother's name is Aiden." she said slowly, thoughtfully. "We came from Orlais to Ferelden a few months ago."

"Your accent isn't Orlesian." the Commander said accusingly. "Where are you from originally?"

She glared at him from the corner of her eye, sending chills down his spine. "Far from here."

"You can trust me."

"Can I?"

"You must, if we are to work together."

"You must forgive me," said Ela rising from her seat, "You seem a proper man, and I will cooperate to the best of my ability, but there is to much at stake for me and my brother. So, besides my origins and anything related to my heritage, what would you like to know Commander?"

Cullen grimaced. "You're making this harder than it has to be. Two of my men have already been injured by you."

"I did no such thing," she fired back. "Kata injured one of your men. I put the other to sleep."

"It does not change the fact that you attacked them," he said crossing his arms over his chest. "And then you almost crossed blades with Lady Cassandra, the person who kept your brother alive."

"It is rather hard to cross blades with someone, when you don't have a blade to cross." she joked sarcastically shifting in her seat.

"You know what I mean." he snapped in irritation.

Ela sighed, produced a worn leather flask, and threw her head back taking a long drink. They sat in awkward silence for long time listening to the sound of the boy's breathing. Tossing and turning in his bed he muttered in his sleep a cold sweat growing on his brow. His sister watched on with heavy eyes, her mouth pursed thin, reminding Cullen of his own sister.

"I can see I've put you in a uncomftorable situation and I'm truly sorry, Commander." she said softly. "I have a solution, however. Take me into custody, it is obviously what Lady Cassandra wishes. All I ask is that you leave Kata to guard my brother, he'll listen to my orders. The other two, the mages…they…well they won't interfere."

Cullen watched as Ela spoke. It seemed the fight had been drained from her. The warrior he had met on the battlefield was gone, replaced by this tired, tiny woman. The unyielding eyes that had drilled into him earlier were as soft as flower petals now, all pleading and teary. He found himself feeling sorry for her. All she wished to do was keep her brother safe. It was a sound proposition. Cassandra would accept the surrender, most likely tossing the woman into the same dungeon her brother had sat in. Letting the Qunari guard the boy would no doubt rub her the wrong way. It could work though.

The Herald stirred again, mumbling his sister's name, begging for something they couldn't understand. Suddenly he launched upward, his eyes shooting open, his breath was quick. Fear shone bright in his eyes, as they darted around the room, trying to make sense of everything. It melted away when he saw his sister.

"Aiden!" Ela's exasperated cry filled the cabin as she fell to the Herald's side grasping his face tightly. She fussed over him checking his head, his arms, anything that could have been injured. The boy, confused, sat quietly letting her. His bright eyes followed her every move like he couldn't believe she was real, like she would disappear at any moment. For a while Cullen thought they had forgotten him, they sat with one another hugging, and talking about their battles. It made wonder how his own family would greet him after such a long separation. Mia would be furious no doubt. When they turned their attention back on him, he was half in his day dreams and missed what the Herald had said to him.

"It is an honor to meet you, Commander Cullen." the Herald repeated. Cullen nodded, gave a warm smile, and returned the curtesy.

She looked at him then, with those soft lilac eyes brimming with tears. It pulled at something. That same stupid flutter stirred in his chest. "Is my proposition enough, Commander?" Ela asked solemnly.

He couldn't do it.

"It won't be necessary," he replied after a moment. Cassandra would be furious. He only hoped that she would take it out on a training dummy and not him. "I've gotten all the answers I needed. My men will be ordered to stand down and you to be left alone. The villagers will no doubt be happy to hear you've awaken. I'll do my best to keep Lady Cassandra from hounding you." A sad smile grew on Ela's lips. The boy looked between them, puzzled as to what was going on. "Ah, and, what should I tell your men?" he inquired.

"Nothing, they'll come to me." she said.

He nodded to her. "Take some time to rest, the both of you, your wounds have not yet healed and things will only be harder from here. When you're ready head for the Chantry, I'm sure you'll find us there." he stated heading for the door. He had his hand on the handle when she called for him.

"Commander Cullen," he turned, surprised she had used his whole title. "Thank you…for everything."


	8. Chapter 8: Reunion

Aiden dreamed of the spiders and the pride demon chasing him down like a fox in a nobel's hunt. His thighs ached as he forced himself forward, feet pounding against the hard ground. The woman of gold stood ahead of him, a beacon in the darkness, her hand outstretched and as he grew closer he saw it was Ela. Her mouth moved in a wordless cry. Black hair whipped about her face and he could smell the perfume she patted behind her ears. Hope drowned out fear and he rushed toward her. Reaching for her hand, she smiled at him, brighter than he had ever seen her smile; then, before their fingers could even brush, a hand emerged from the darkness, and snatched her away. Aiden felt himself scream.

When his eyes shot open he found himself in a cabin, on a bed, a cold sweat covering his body. The scream was caught in his throat's sandpaper grip and he coughed. Aiden pushed himself upward, meeting the hazel gaze of a man seated at his feet. He froze. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was trying to close the Breach. His sister had been there, or had she? Aiden shook his head driving away the haze that clouded his mind. The man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place where from. Nothing made sense.

He glanced around the cabin, it was sparsely furnished with old wooden floors and a few candles. He turned his head to see a low table and...Ela, staring at him, her mouth agape. She was standing by a window, golden light of the morning enveloping her, making her look as if she was sent from the Maker. She looked terrible though. Her face was bruised and cut, her purple eyes were devoid of their usual fierceness, replaced with a tiredness he had never seen before. A worn cloak hung over her shoulders and he could see her arm was pinned to her side. Her lips pulled into an exhausted smile and she rushed to his side, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Aiden!"

Lavender and honey filled his nostrils and he retuned the hug burying his face in her hair. She was real. It was all Aiden could think of as he sank into her arms. She was really there. Tears brimmed in his eyes and he forced them back. He was to old to cry. Hot tears fell on his head and Aiden laughed. She was real.

"I thought I'd lost you," Ela murmured into his scalp. Pulling away from him she began to run her fingers through his hair like she use to when he was little. It was a pleasant feeling and it brought back fond memories of times when there wasn't a giant hole in the sky. "Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to see you're alive. I should have never left you there," she said through sniffles, "I'm so sorry Aiden. I was so stupid to leave you, but I'm not going anywhere now. I'm here now." Her eyes were red and bleary and Aiden couldn't remember the last time she had cried so hard. And he couldn't understand why she was crying now. She had saved him from the pride demon. He was alive because of her, wasn't he?

"I saw you," Aiden said quietly, "I saw you at the Breach, or...I think I did. You saved me. "

Ela smiled sadly. "No, that wasn't me. I wish I could have been there, though. I heard you had quite the adventure." she joked.

Aiden nodded his head placing his back against the wall. "We went to close the Breach, the Seeker, and Varric, and Solas, and me." he began "There were so many demons getting to it."

"Did you have to fight?"

"Me, no. The Seeker kept me safe mostly and some soldiers, but most of them-." He let his sentence trail off thinking of the soldiers that had been cut down in front of him. Their dying screams and all the blood that had soaked into the snow. It wasn't the first time he had watched someone die, but it was the first time someone had died for him.

"Don't think on it." Ela told him patting his shoulder sympathetically.

The realization of his mission came over him. "Did it work? Did we close it?" he asked quickly. The question caused his sister's smile to fade.

"No...but you stopped it from growing. You really stepped up, Aiden. I'm proud of you." Ela said. Aiden grinned despite himself. It wasn't often his sister praised him and when she did he knew it was well earned. "How's your hand?"

He lifted it for her inspection. A green dashed marked the place it lied and, unlike before, it didn't crackle or spark and he was thankful for that. "It's better than before," he informed her.

"Good." She stirred in her seat, glancing at the man seated across from her. "Aiden, this is Commander Cullen," she said gesturing to the man. "He's helped me a great deal. In fact he is the only reason I'm here right now." Aiden turned his attention back on the man suddenly realizing where he had seen him from. He was the Commander the Seeker had talked to on the battlefield.

"It's an honor to meet you, Commander Cullen." Aiden said remembering his courtesies. The Commander didn't seem to hear him. His hazel eyes were glazed over, gazing into the distance. Aiden repeated himself when the Commander turned his attention back on him.

"It is an honor to meet you as well." the Commander replied smiling.

Ela gave Aiden another pat on his back before turning her attention to the Commander.

"Is my proposition enough, Commander?" Ela asked. Aiden looked at her with confusion. What proposition was she talking about?

"It won't be necessary," the Commander replied after a moment."I've gotten all the answers I needed. My men will be ordered to stand down and you to be left alone. The villagers will no doubt be happy to hear you've awaken. I'll do my best to keep Lady Cassandra from hounding you." A sad smile grew on Ela's lips. Aiden looked between the two of them trying to figure out what they were talking about. "Ah, and, what should I tell your men?" the Commander inquired.

"Nothing, they'll come to me."Ela responded. None of it was making sense to Aiden.

The Commander nodded to her. "Take some time to rest, the both of you, your wounds have not yet healed and things will only be harder from here. When you're ready head for the Chantry, I'm sure you'll find us there." he stated heading for the door. He had his hand on the handle when Ela called for him.

"Commander Cullen, thank you…for everything." The Commander smiled, nodded at her, then left.

Aiden glowered at his sister. "What was that about?" he asked in a low tone. Ela chuckled and ruffled his hair as she stood.

"He saved my life, and by extension yours." Ela informed him pulling off her cloak. "Don't trust the man too much though, he use to be a templar, and what did I say about templars?"

"Always watch them, but never trust them." Aiden chanted. The Commander didn't look like a templar, but he knew better than to second guess his sister. She could always tell what kind of a person someone was. "What happened to you?" Aiden asked motioning to her face.

Ela seemed taken aback by his question. "Ah, um, I took a bad hit...a couple bad hits."

"From what?" he asked.

"Let's not talk about that right now," Ela said rubbing her side. "You need to tell me everything that happened to you, everything you know." They sat and talked for a long time. Aiden told Ela everything he knew, everything that he remembered and she listened with a solemn face.

"Listen to me Aiden," she said when he had finished, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Nothing. We can leave right now and never look back. We'll go to Tevinter, Antiva, or back to Orlais, wherever to get away from this. Just tell me what you want. You don't owe these people a thing."

Aiden opened his mouth to answer, hesitated, and clacked it shut. It would be easy to turn tail and run, never look back, act like this was all just a bad dream. The Seeker had asked for his help to try and close the Breach and he had tried. He had stuck to his promise, now he could be free. A pit in his stomach formed at the idea of leaving, so many people were counting on him, they didn't have any other way of closing the Rifts…or the Breach.

"I want to help." he said after a moment. "I'm the only one who can close the Breach."

Ela looked at him, pride clear on her face. She nodded her head sucking in a deep breath. "It isn't going to be easy. People won't trust you, they'll try to use you…hurt you. They'll do anything to get their way." Ela looked like she was going to cry again.

He knew she was right. "I still have you though." he said. She chuckled at that.

"Come on, let's get to the Chantry." she said, pulling her cloak back on. "I'm sure we've sat long enough."


	9. Chapter 9 : The Herald

Leaning against the heavy oaken table, Cassandra listened to Chancellor Roderick prattle on about the Herald arrested. The man was acting like a rabid dog and it disgusted her to no end. Shipping the Herald off to Val Royeaux was a foolish idea. They had already determined the boy was innocent and their best shot to close the Breach. His sister, on the other hand, was a different story. Cassandra would have loved to see her in chains. The spectacle the woman had put on for all of Haven to see was unforgivable in her mind. She had been ready to fight the paltry band on the spot, of course that had been before Cullen had gotten in the way. The Commander somehow managed to get the woman to stand down and had even argued for her innocence afterward. His seal of approval did little to settle the fire in Cassandra's veins however. The woman had openly challenged her, challenged all of the Inquisition, threatened them even; yet, Cullen found it in himself to defend her. Ridiculous.

The door flung open and the Herald's sister marched in, face as hard as iron, with the Herald cowing behind her. The boy's face was flooded with fear and his eyes darted fearfully between the two templars that stood on either side of the door.

"Chain them!" Chancellor Roderick demanded. "I want them prepared for travel to the capital for trial."

Cassandra grunted in disgust. "Disregard that, and leave us." She ordered the two templars. They saluted her and left without question.

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." The Chancellor growled shooting daggers at her.

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."

"My brother is still a suspect?" the Herald's sister bristled. "Even after all he's done for you people?"

Chancellor Roderick turned his cold gaze on her. "You both are."

"No, they are not." Cassandra proclaimed, though she did not believe it herself.

Leliana moved to her side. "Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others – or have allies who yet live."

"I am a suspect?" Roderick gasped looking genuinely baffled.

"You, and many others." Leliana declared.

The Chancellor looked taken aback. "But not them? Even after the chaos _she_ caused trying to kidnap her brother?"

"I heard the voices in the temple. The Divine called to him for help. And as for his sister, we are handling that situation." Cassandra explained through gritted teeth.

"So his survival, that that thing on his hand, all a coincidence?" The Chancellor asked.

"Providence," Cassandra said pointedly. "The Maker sent him to us in our darkest hour."

"But, I'm a mage," the Herald whispered from behind his sister.

Cassandra snapped her head around in surprise. The Herald was staring at the ground with watery eyes. His sister was glancing over her shoulder at him with a pitiful look. "I have not forgotten." Cassandra replied locking eyes with him. "No matter what you are, or what you believe, you were exactly what we needed, when we needed it."

"The Breach remains and your Mark is still our only means of closing it." Leliana added.

"This is not for you to decide." Chancellor Roderick growled.

Cassandra grabbed the book from behind her and slammed it down in front of the Chancellor. "You know what this is, Chancellor?" she asked. "A writ from the Divine. Granting us the authority to act. As of this moment I declare the Inquisition reborn." The Chancellor shook his head in disgust and made his way out of the room without another word glaring at the Herald all the while.

Leliana shook her head sadly. "We are not ready, we have no leader, no numbers, and no Chantry support."

"But we have no choice; we must act now. With you at our side." Cassandra said turning to the Herald.

The Herald's sister moved from in front of him and the Herald seemed to shrink in on himself. Cassandra felt pity for him, he was thin and lanky and wasn't fully grown into his body yet, only a boy. A boy who never had to fight.

"I want to help…" he began casting eyes downward again. "I really…want-"

"We will help if you're truly trying to restore order," his sister declared for him. "You will have my brother, me, and what's left of my mercenary band at your disposal. As long as we can agree on one, no, two things."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes at the woman trying to control her rage. "What would you have of us in return?" she asked suspiciously.

The Herald's sister meet Cassandra's glare with her own steely gaze. "Nothing to demanding," she assured, "just your promise that there will be no retaliation for my actions earlier. I sincerely apologize for the debacle I caused. I was set on seeing my brother. My behavior was rash and my plan…ill conceived. I injured two of your men unnecessarily, but I fully intend to lend myself to your Commander to right my wrongs."

"Why?" Cassandra asked folding her arms. The woman wasn't negotiating, she was setting ground rules for them, as if she could control them simply because her brother was the Herald. It made her blood boil.

"Well not only did I injure two of the Inquisition's men, but I had my life saved by Commander Cullen," she explained. "I owe the Inquisition for saving my life just as I owe you, Lady Seeker, for saving my brother's." The Herald's sister extended an open hand to her. A peace offering.

Cassandra eyed her.

"I can assure you Lady Seeker, I will be more courteous in the future." The woman said grinning to reveal straight white teeth.

"Cassandra, call me Cassandra." she said shaking her hand.

From behind his sister the Herald, smiled hope refilling his eyes.

"Call me Ela, please."

"The only other thing I ask for is your silence," the woman continued "Your Commander no doubt informed you that I was a mage. I've managed to stay hidden for years before, but now – with my brother in this situation – it will be much harder to stay that way."

"You are an apostate?" Leliana asked moving closer.

"As all mages are now, yes. That is beside the point however. I will work as my brother's guard and to do this job efficiently I would like to keep the knowledge that I am a mage between the few that already know. It will help us if our enemies, whoever they may be, know as little about us as possible." she said gesturing between herself and her brother. "These are the only things I would ask of you."

Leliana nodded. "That could work to our advantage, we would keep a small element of surprise if the Herald is ever attacked."

"There were a number of soldiers that witnessed you wielding magic from what I understand." Cassandra voiced crossing her arms.

Ela bobbed her head. "Many of them fell to the hands of demons if I am to believe my Lieutenant. I am sure the few that are left can be persuaded, for the good of the Inquisition, to keep their mouths shut."

"That can be arranged, though it will require tact and some assistance from Commander Cullen," Leliana decided crossing her arms. "It can be achieved though."

"I'm glad to hear it." Ela said with a small smile. "I hope we can continue to work this well with one another in the future." She tapped the Herald's arm, and gave them a low bow. "It was a pleasure to officially meet you both, but, if you'll excuse me, my wounds need dressing." With a curt bow she turned and left, the Herald trailing after her.

Cassandra closed the door and turned to Leliana who had a huge smirk on her face. "I thought you said she was an incorrigible menace." Leliana joked.

Cassandra grunted in disgust. "She is, ugh, she was."

"She seemed rather pleasant to me." Leliana smiled. "Even though she's hiding something."

Cassandra let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the table. "We need to know what if she is to work with us. Do you think you can find out what it is?"

"Of course I can."


	10. Chapter 10: The Herald Part 2

Sorry chapters have been so short, I've been getting readjusted to school life. I'm sorry for any mistakes I pushed this chapter out fast. I hope you all enjoy and thank you for all the comments they've kept me writing!

"Keep your hands up!" Ela barked. A smack to his head punctuated her message. Shaking the pain away, Aiden positioned his hands like she had shown him and dodged the next strike. Kata recovered quickly, skirted to the side, threw another punch hitting him under his ribs, and sending him skidding through the snow.

Aiden groaned; he was bruised, sore, and tired. Training was nothing like he had imagined. There were no swords, no grand grimoires to pass, and defiantly no fun. There was only pain and the ache of his muscles. Ela had woken him early that morning, before even the sun had risen, dragged him outside and made him run laps around the village until his tunic was soaked with sweat. Immediately after the run, she made him climb trees, then hold a barrier while Lilith bombarded him with spell after spell. Now, he was in a grappling match.

"On your feet," Ela ordered lifting him up, "When you get hit, roll like I showed you, don't try and hold against it you're too small." She brushed the snow from his back and moved back to her position on the sideline.

Across from him waves of heat of heat rose from Kata as he rolled his shoulders backward, his crimson eyes driving into him.

He charged. Aiden shuffled backwards, hands raised trying to keep his footing. Kata was on him in a second, lashing out so fast Aiden couldn't see his fists, but he could feel them. The air rushed from his lungs with each strike. Aiden rolled to the side hoping the tKata wouldn't adjust to quickly. Gasping for air, e pushed himself to his feet, only to jump backwards as Kata's fist came shooting toward him.

"Don't just dodge, strike back!"

He tried to do as she bi, aiming for his exposed chest, and charged. His first two strikes missed. The last landed, but it did nothing to slow Kata, and only made Aiden's fists feel like jelly as they connected with his ironbark chest. In an instant, the Qunari trapped Aiden's arm under his own and smacked him to the side with a massive forearm. His vision dimmed. Before he could get his bearings, he felt himself being lifted up, then there was a blur of white, grey, brown, and he was on the ground. Aiden's teeth clattered together and he bit back a scream.

"Enough." Ela breathed moving to his side.

Aiden sat up with a groan, clutching at his aching back trying not to imagine the bruise that would bloom there. His cheeks burned as his sister stood over him, her gloved hand outstretched toward him.

"What do you think you did wrong?" she asked hoisting him upward.

"I don't know," Aiden grumbled, glaring at the ground. "He moved really fast and he's strong. It wasn't fair he's bigger than me."

"Nothing is fair, Aiden." Ela stressed placing a hand on his shoulder. "The battles you fight won't be fair. The rewards you earn won't be fair. You're going to have to learn how to deal with it. Now, what did you do wrong?"

He huffed, jerking away from her touch and shouldering on his cloak. "I didn't hit him and I forgot to keep my hands up." he answered.

"That's what I told you, what did you notice yourself?"

Aiden shrugged pulling the hood over his head. "I don't know!"

His sister glared at him from the corner of her eye, all stern and deadly, like a viper waiting to strike. He'd upset her.

"Well until you figure it out you can go with Lilith and practice holding a barrier again." she said steadily. "It'll do you some good."

"Why, cant you just train me the way you were trained?"

Ela groaned aloud. It was the fourth time he'd tried to convince her to train him. It seemed like a simple task to him. Why she refused was beyond him.

"I'd do whatever it takes to-"

"No." Ela growled low in her throat. She turned on him her eyes heavy and hard. "I don't want to hear it anymore."

"You can't just push me to the side-"

Ela took a threatening step forward learning over him. "Enough, go now, before I make you run laps till you collapse."

Aiden huffed and glowered at his sister, but headed away to do as she bid, dragging his feet all the while.

—

The next day was much of the same and once a week had passed Aiden found himself growing use to the routine. His muscles did not ache as strongly after his runs and he found it easier to cast some of the spells that Lilith and Evsa were teaching him. Sparring with Kata was still a struggle and at the end of each match he found himself bruised and frustrated.

Eventually, Ela's wounds healed and she joined him in his morning runs. Aiden relished their runs together, it was the only time that Ela acted like Ela. In Haven her guard was constantly up, watching everyone and everything. Most nights she didn't even sleep. On their runs together she was completely different. She smiled, joked, and teased him just like before the Breach.

I brought him immeasurable joy, but lately she talked feverishly of leaving for the Hinterlands. It was beginning to sour his mood. Aiden desperately wanted to go with her and the Seeker. Besides training, he spent most of his days reading about potion recipes, watching the Commander's troops train, and standing in was council meetings at Ela's side listening to a flurry of information that he felt he should remember now that he…he was…the Herald of Andraste.

His mouth went dry every time he thought about it. It felt too heavy, it was too much responsibility. So many people were expecting him to fix the Breach, to save them all. He drove the thought from his mind. Ela warned him that if he kept focusing on it he would drive himself to an early grave. He should just trust her like she told him too. Even if it meant she had to leave him.

When the day came for her to leave, he stood at the gates to say goodbye, his hands mindlessly wringing a scrap of paper. Ela had donned a simple iron chest plate, greaves, and gauntlets with boiled leathers underneath, with an Inquisition sword strapped to her back. It was odd for him not to see a shield on her arm, but her hand still could't grip normally. Aiden hoped she would be okay without it He had never seen her go into battle without one.

The Seeker, Varric, and the mage, Solas, were all going with her, though it was doing nothing to calm his nerves. One thing bothering him was that Ela and the Seeker were still on rocky ground with one another. Even in war council meetings they only shared a few clipped words with one another and the tension hung thick in the air like the scent of Fereldan cheese.

"Be good while I'm gone, okay" Ela said as she embraced him. "Read your tome, and practice with the other mages, and don't stay out to late. Kata and Lilith and Evsa will be there if you need them."

He bobbed his head in agreement. It was the same speech every time she left.

"Don't fight the Seeker." Aiden whispered glancing over at the woman. She was standing by the gate with her arms crossed over her chest, her ever present scowl plastered on her face.

Ela tightened the hug, chuckling quietly. "I'll try."

She pulled away clapping him on the back lightly glancing back at her group. He could tell by the look on her face she was anxious to be gone. If there was one thing she hated it was sitting in one spot for to long.

"Stay safe…Herald." she said with a grin.


	11. Chapter 11: The Hinterlands

The Hinterlands was one huge battlefield. Every corner they turned mages and templars were fighting one another and innocent people were stuck in the middle. To Ela, it felt as if the entire area was crumbling to pieces. Even the air felt charged and tense. The Crossroads had been the first mess they had come across, but they managed to quell the fighting, bringing about a relative safety to the area.

As told, Mother Giselle was there waiting for her. She was a soft spoken woman with a kind face, who urged her to go to Val Royeaux to try and change the Chantry's opinion of the Inquisition. Initially, Ela faced the idea with skepticism, the Chantry preferred to argue over who was guilty for the Divine's death, rather than try and stop the Breach. It seemed to her that they were better off without the political downpour a Chantry alliance brought with it. Yet, the more the mother talked the harder it was to brush off her words as nonsense. Gaining the Chantry's support would help the Inquisition build numbers and influence; yet, the thought of heading to what was basically a templar hive made her skin crawl.

Ela groaned inwardly as she kneeled next to their small campfire. No matter where she went there seemed to be no lack of templars. Pulling a folded parchment from her jacket pocket, she pored over the crude map of the Hinterlands she had been dutifully working on all day. The dim firelight threw deceiving shadows across the weathered parchment, forcing her to strain her eyes as she reviewed the map. For only being in the area one day, they had found more problems than they could solve in a week. They had discovered four rifts, a mage stronghold, a templar camp, and a group of bandits that attacked anyone that got to close. The only gains they had made was to establish two camps and make contact with the Horse Master, who had a list as long as her arm for them to complete before he would offer the Inquisition any assistance. Running back and forth all day had grated on Ela's few remaining nerves, but she calmed herself with the thought of how her efforts would help the refugees. Anything she could do to alleviate their suffering she would do.

A cool breeze snapped through the trees and sent their campfire thrashing as it struggled to keep its on hold on the logs it greedily devoured.

"So, Ela, what's your story?" Varric asked from across the fire. He was wiping down his crossbow, Bianca, with a content look on his face. "You're the Herald's sister and a mercenary captain, but, other than that, no one seems to know anything."

She pulled her mind from the map to glance around their camp to ensure the other were asleep before looking back at the dwarf. He seemed a decent type. For a majority of their trip he had worked at lessening the tension between her and the Seeker, to no avail of course. Cassandra seemed set on holding a grudge against her.

"Thats the way I like it," she replied folding her legs under her, "I'd rather have all the attention on Aiden while I lurk in the shadows stabbing his enemies."

"Well that's one way to keep him safe," the dwarf chuckled, "Though I doubt you'll be able to lurk with a seven-foot-tall Qunari shadowing your every step."

Ela laughed despite herself. "You have a point."

She was not surprised to find that Varric was growing on her. He wasn't like any of the other dwarves she had meet, they were all stern and focused and bearded; whereas, Varric was polite, charming, and completely clean shaven. Save for that outpour of chest hair he seemed to have. Even better, he had the most outrageous stories. She could not help, but to think she would have tried recruiting him into her band if she had meet him before the Breach. But then again...where would that put him now? She threw the thought from her head. Melancholy would do nothing to help her rest. "What about you, Varric? What's your story before Kirkwall?"

"Uh uh, no fair, you never answered my question." He protested with a grin.

She leaned backward thinking of an answer. "Mmmm, my story...my story is that I'm a lowly mercenary captain, who's spent most of her life with her brother on her back avoiding templars. I'm really not all that interesting."

"Oh, I think not." Varric assured her. "You've spent most of your life caring for your brother and keeping him from the Circle, while simultaneously leading a mercenary band? You have to have some good stories. Nothing as great as '_My brother is the Herald of Andraste'_ I'm sure, but good stories nonetheless."

She clicked her tongue with a smile at the assertion, thinking of all the wild stories and unusual jobs she worked with her mercenary band. "Well once, while I was trying to secure the Bloody Suns a job, Aiden released a pen full of pigs into the village. The smell of shit was everywhere and the pigs trampled a field of crops." She leaned back thinking of the day and how warm the sun had been, how happy her men had been. "Kata and the others had to go into the pen to drag Aiden out. For whatever reason, Aiden thought it a game. He made them chase him round and round the pen, all my men were slipping and falling into the muck."

Varric gave a throaty laugh. "I can't imagine they were happy about that."

"No, no they weren't. Neither were the villagers. They ended up chasing us out." She stretched out her arms over her head with a grin. "Oh, Kata was the filthiest and the angriest, he was covered horn to toe in pig shit. He wouldn't even talk to Aiden for three weeks."

"Well Qunari's aren't known for their pleasant dispositions."

"I would have never guessed." She said smiling.

Varric placed Bianca across his lap and sighed looking up at the star studded sky.

"You should head to bed, we've much to do in the morning. Watchtowers to place, rams to hunt, demons to slay."

"Horse Masters to appease," he added standing "You're right though. See you in the morning."

"See you in the morning." She parroted back as he sauntered to his tent.

She watched from the corner of her eye till tucked himself inside his tent before folding up her map and turning to face the farmlands with the fire at her back. Taking a deep breath in, she let the crisp air fill her lungs. It was pleasant, clean and warm, not like the air in Haven that stung whenever she breathed in. The camp was blessedly silent as well. Only the chirp of crickets and the crackle of the fire pierced the evening. No clatter of swords here, or the crackle of magic. Crossing her legs, she relaxed herself and slipped into the black recesses of her mind that the spirit held.

Keeping herself and the spirit separated was always a daunting task. The mental barriers only kept it at bay for so long and did almost nothing to keep it quiet. I was a constant nuisance. Pressing against the barrier ever so often, looking for chink, testing her limits, reminding her that one day she would need it.

Despite its annoying behavior, it rarely forced itself on her. It simply sat, waiting for a weak moment, a moment when she would agree to give in. She had agreed before in a moment when she had been sure she would die. A moment when she had wanted to die.

As Ela worked she could feel the spirit creep closer slowly. It was weak from its distance from the sword, but it still managed to keep a majority of its strength.

'_You left him alone,'_ the spirit hissed sinisterly, _'He nearly died there and you left him alone in a pit of vipers.'_ The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The spirit was constantly trying to get a rise out of her to twist her to its will. _'Surrounded by templars, corrupted mages, and murderers. You're a sore excuse for a protector, girl.' _

She did her best to ignore it.

_'He could die there and you'd be nowhere in sight. Nowhere to help him. Just like the Conclave. Useless."_ The spirit reminded her. _"Though, if you died here, I'd move on to him and I could help him more than you ever could.' _

"You would only ruin him," Ela snapped mindlessly, "and yourself."

It scoffed at her from the darkness.

"You are not as infallible as you believe, demon." She cursed herself for responding. It was pointless to argue with it, but it had angered her.

_'Spirit!'_ It rebutted hastily, slamming against the barrier. It caused a dull pain in the back of her skull and she was thankful it wasn't stronger._ 'I am no lowly stalker of the Fade.'_

"So you say." She scoffed back, knowing it would irritate the spirit. "Yet, you cannot remember what you were. Only the purpose a hundred year old mage forced on you."

_'Purpose is all I need to keep myself whole. I may not remember what I was, but I know what I must do. And i won't let a foolish girl like you hinder me. Those before you would have been better protectors. They were innocents and pure.'_

"Innocents you let die."

_'I could do nothing to save them.'_ It said solemnly.

Ela put the last touches on the barrier and gave her self a mental pat on the back. Even with the spirits taunts, she had managed to restrengthen it to her liking.

'Will you leave now? Run back to those templars to play the good mage?'

She hated the way it said it. Like she had a choice in the matter. "You know as well as I do I have no choice."

_"So you say."_

"So I say," she growled angry it had used her own rebuttal, "now begone demon I have to sleep."

It laughed deeply._ "I think not, foolish girl."_

Ela's mind recoiled from the milky black depths and came slamming back to reality. Her eyes shot open to the stinging rays of the pinks and reds of the early morning sun. The night was all but gone, along with any prospect of sleep.

Her legs ached, her neck was stiff, and her bladder was near bursting. She groaned as she stretched her neck out, rubbing at the sore muscles. It had took longer than she had expected.. The spirit had to have known, it was just a cruel jab to try and weaken her. To try and force her back to Haven.

Standing, she stretched her limbs and bounced on her heels, waking her aching joints. Her eyelids felt like lead, but she knew there would be no rest before they headed out. It was a cruel jab indeed.

—-

Ela yawned as they made their way through the alcove of trees. The breeze rustled the leaves overhead soothingly and the sun provided them with a pleasant warmth that was none existent in Haven. Letting herself reveal in the single minded peacefulness, she cleared her mind of her sorrows and enjoyed the peace.

The crunch of leaves slowed as they came to a stop. They seemed to have an unspoken agreement among themselves; whenever they came to a pleasantly peaceful spot, they either made camp, or simply took a moment to enjoy it.

Ela was stooped to pick up a particularly gangly elfroot when she heard the soft steps of Solas approach her. Glancing sideways she shoved the elfroot into her bag and stood to face him. Her gaze was filled with suspicion she knew, but she found it hard to trust the mage. He was a mystery greater than herself. He spoke of no home, no family, no friends. Varric had his stories and his friends from Kirkwall and Cassandra had her faith and her own family back in Nevarra. But Solas. He talked of nothing but his Fade walking. It unnerved and fasicnated her.

"If you do not mind I have a question for you." Solas voiced moving to her side.

"You don't have to ask permission."

"Very well then," He said clearing his throat. "Why did you keep your brother from the Circle?"

The question caught her off guard. Why? Because he would have been killed for a family curse was the honest answer. Because he was to young to understand why his family wanted him dead, another. Because she loved him him too much to watch him suffer. "I don't have to tell you what mages suffer through. Had he been thrown into the Circle I never would have forgiven myself."

Solas seemed to consider her answer before replying quickly. "You are not a mage. Why does it bother you? Why help him?"

"B-because what they go through is wrong," she said her voice rising slightly, "To be locked up in a tower and only let out when you are to do work for someone who fears you isn't right. Aiden doesn't deserve that. If I could lock myself away in order for him to be free for the rest of his life I would. I'd do anything to keep him safe."

Solas leaned on his staff giving her a completive look. "You care for him a great deal."

"For some people family is more important than anything." Cassandra interjected quickly. Ela turned her head as fast as a whip to face the woman who stood under an oak, arms crossed over her chest. The sudden answer had seemed to gain the entire groups attention.

The Seeker fidgeted at the sudden increase of eyes. She turned her head to look Ela in the eyes. "I cannot agree with what you did in Haven," she said flatly, "but...I can understand why you did it."

"Aiden is very important to me. He's one of the few family members I have left." Ela replied dryly. "I'm glad you can understand why I did, what I did. One day, I hope we will be able to understand one another better."

"Likewise."

An awkward silence fell over the group and it prickled in the air. It seemed to poke Ela all around to ensure she could not ignore it.

"Well, that was...something." Varric stated with a smile.

"Indeed it was." Solas added smirking.

"Hey while we're asking questions, whats with you and the qunari?" Varric asked. "Are you friends, or is he warming your bed at night?"

"Varric!" Cassandra chided with visible disgust across her face.

The dwarf ignored the Seeker's chiding and stared at her with an expectant face.

Ela choked back a laugh and the tension in the air seemed to vanish. "He is my friend," she laughed, "but if you ask him I'm his Kadan, whatever that is."

"Well, thats not as interesting as lover, but it's something." Varric said shrugging.

"Why did you want to know?" Ela asked, grinning against her better will.

The rouge shrugged again. "I thought it would give me some material for something new." The Seeker grunted in disgust from the side, but otherwise made no comment.

"Am I to be in one of your books?"

"Hmm, maybe," Varric answered as they headed out, "I couldn't tell you till it's done though. That would spoil all my fun."

Ela smiled against her will for the second time that day.

Aiden sat crossed legged on his bed, an old tome spread across his lap, and a plate of food at his side. The sun had set long ago and he had illuminate the cabin with a few candles that threw dancing shadows around him. Sleep pulled at his eyes. The tome was doing little to keep him awake, but it was one of the few things he could do while he waited for his sister to return. Her letter had stated that she would be back today and he had waited anxiously for her arrival ever since.

She had only been gone a week and three days, but it felt like an eternity. He would have been worried if she didn't write as often as she did. Almost every other day the Spymaster had a letter from his sister.

He had done any and everything he could to distract himself from her impending arrival. Training, reading, running, he had even learned how to make a few new potions, but nothing seemed to keep his attention. Somehow he always ended up back at the gates, counting the wild nugs, while he waited for her. Kata had caught him more than a few times and had set him back to work with a disapproving grunt.

Kata was anxious too, he could see it even if no one else could. Ela had never left him behind before. The qunari watched the gate as much as Aiden did and spent most of his time caring for his weapons, or following Evsa, so sure that she was up to no good.

Lilith snored quietly from her cot and Aiden envied her. The idea of sleep was beyond tempting. He rubbed at his eyes and tried to focus back on the wavering characters in the tome. Staves, and auras, and focal points, he was too tired to make sense of any of it.

He was sure that his battle was close to an end, his head lolled forward every time he let his guard down, when the jiggle of the door handle pulled him from sleeps tight grip. Her mane of hair was the first thing he saw, and he lept from his seat to hug her, sending both his plate, and his tome clattering to the floor.

Ela greeted him with open arms. She smelled like dirt, blood, and honey, but the hug felt like home. When he pulled away, he could tell she hadn't slept well. Her eyes were heavy and dark circles shadowed them.

"I missed you," Aiden said taking her pack. "What was the Hinterlands like? I heard there was a dragon there. Did you see it? Did you bring me anything?"

"Only for a moment," Ela smiled. "It flew right over our heads and gave such a great bellow! It was beautiful! And check the bottom of my pack." Aiden's face pulled into a large grin as he ravaged through her back. She had books, scrolls, knives, maps, notes, and at the bottom was a round shape wrapped in a threadbare cloth. Aiden yanked it out his heart pumping. He unwrapped the ball hurriedly revealing an onyx black sphere.

"Where'd you find it?" he asked holding it to the dim firelight. The orb reflected his face back at him with the tiny flames of the candles. It looked like an all seeing eye with no boundaries to Aiden."There isn't a single scratch on it."

"Close to the place I saw the dragon. There was onyx everywhere and I found that. Thought you'd like it, since all your little baubles got lost and stolen after camp got raided."

"Thank you." He rolled the stone in his hands sitting back on his bed. It made the waiting worth it.

"Ahh, good to see ya Boss." Lilith yawned from her cot. Her blond hair was a tangled mess and looked like it belonged more in a tree than on a person's head.

Ela nodded to her in acknowledgment before plopping onto her cot and kicking off her boots. "It's soo good to be back," she lilted laying back. "How've you all been? Where's Evsa? And Kata?"

Lilith gave another long yawn, stretching across her cot. "Kata's watching Evsa, watch the mages, who are drinking in the tavern," she informed, "He still doesn't trust her."

Ela grunted in understanding while staring at the tome that he had discarded on the floor. "How's your studying going?"

Aiden groaned as he collected the to his bed, he slammed the book shut sending a plume of fine dust into the air. "It's boring," he coughed fanning away the dust, "this one's all about the importance of a properly balanced staff and their focal points and auras. Evsa let me look at hers to get an idea of what it was talking about cause my staves old and bent."

"Why do you think that I had you read it?" His sister implored.

Aiden raised his shoulder in a shrug, then stopped, it was another test. "To understand how a staff should feel?" He guessed. Ela shook her head. "To know what a staff's aura does?" Another no. Aiden sighed racking his brain, trying to remember what else was in the tome.

As he thought, Kata shoved the door open with three pints and a fistful of bread in hand. He nodded to Ela and passed the pints between himself, Ela, and Lilith.

Ela thanked him quietly and smiled as she took a long sip. Aiden watched with envy wondering when Ela would let him try beer. He was almost thirteen, basically a full grown man.

"Aiden?"

"Ummm, so I can be ready for my own staff?" He guessed snapping back from his daydream.

Ela's eyes light up at him from over her pint. "You'll be coming with me to the Hinterlands next time." She said between sips. "There are Rifts everywhere, demons, fighting, people are starving, it's dangerous Aiden. The staff you have for training, it isn't good enough, so…I'm having a staff made for you, and that," she said pointing to the onyx sphere, "is going to be used in it. I'm going to the blacksmith to have it made in the morning, so no run tomorrow, just meet at the usual spot for training."

"I will." he said nodding his head.

She nodded at him with a smile and turned to Kata. The two talked about Evsa and her loyalty and the dangers of staying with the Inquisition, but Aiden hardly listened to a word of it. He was fixated on the idea of training with his sister. Even when the others settled into their cots and blew out the candles his mind continued to race. He dreamed of fighting at Ela's side clad in green mage robes with a black staff in hand. It was no sword, but it was his. They fought back demons and bandits and he helped her heal. It was everything he wanted. Almost.

He woke with the sun the next day, eager to train. His sister's cot laid empty, her pack resting where her head had been the night before. The sight of her empty bed had him scrambling to get ready. Pulling on his training clothes, he raced to get his breakfast, scarfed it down, and rushed to their training spot through the deep snow.

Where he expected to find his sister, instead he found Solas. The mage was staring up at the Breach with his hands folded behind his back. His face was set in a stony gaze, regal and completive. He turned at his arrival.

"Your sister told me you tend to rise late." Solas stated with a smile. "I'm glad to see you here so early."

Aiden narrowed his eyes at the elf. "Where's my sister?" He asked plainly.

The mage smirked. "She neglected to tell you of your new training arrangements? No matter. I will be training you from now on and your sister will assist as she sees fit," he pulled Aiden's training staff from the snow and handed it to him, "We will start today's training with-"

"Ela isn't joining us today?"

"No, she thought it better if I trained with you alone first." Solas answered calmly. "I have extensive knowledge on the Fade. With some work I may be able to help you better control the Mark."

Aiden took the staff gingerly, his face downcast. The excitement that had fueled him earlier seemed to dissipate into the air around him. He had hoped Ela would finally train him herself. Yet, it seemed like she had cast him to the side again.

"Come now," Solas said taking his own staff in hand, "we have much to do today. We will start with the fundamentals so I can see where we should begin."

They trained till the sun hung lower over the mountains. Training with Solas was completely different from training with Ela. Solas was patient, and explained every spell to the letter that he wanted him to cast. When he slipped and fell from swinging his staff to quickly, the mage showed him how to properly steady himself while casting. He even gave him more breaks and a satchel of snacks for when his stomach demanded attention.

By the end of the day his muscles did not ache as badly and he left in better mood than he had expected. He followed Solas as they made their way back to Haven. Rounding a bend, they found a group of recruits, swords in hand, practicing combat with Ela at the head, hollering at them with every mistake.

"What's she doing?" He asked aloud.

"From what I understand she is training recruits as a form of payment." Solas replied without stopping.

"Payment to who?" He struggled to keep up with the mage and stare back at his sister. She had her arms crossed against her chest and a scowl on her face.

Solas took a moment before answering and Aiden grew more anxious from every second that passed. "Well, everyone seems to have a different answer. If you ask some, they will simply say the Inquisition. If you ask others, they will say the Commander."

"The Knight-Commander?" Aiden had heard a lot about Commander Cullen since he'd been in Haven. The man was from Kirkwall, where the Mage and Templar war had basically begun, and he had been one of Meredith's templars. The information made him hate the man. Templars were the entire reason he and his sister could not be with their family. And this one had played a role in starting the war.

"Just Commander now, "Solas corrected him, "He left the Templar order."

"Doesn't mean he isn't still a templar." Aiden hissed. "He could be trying to trick us."

The taller mage looked down at him from the corner of his eye. "For someone so young, you hold a lot of anger towards templars."

"They are the reason all this is happening."

Solas chuckled lightly. "I cannot disagree with you. The Chantry's tight grip on the mages caused the war and they used the templars to make that grip." Solas explained. "But, perhaps, not all of them are part of the problem. Some have decided to help us try and stop the Breach. Even going so far as to leave the Chantry, or the Templar Order just as our Commander did."

"How do you know he really left?" Aiden asked with suspicion.

The mage smiled at him. "I see you resemble your sister in more than just appearance," he said, "Suspicion is a healthy trait to have, but it can hinder you if it is to strong. Think on this, if the Commander really is still loyal to the Templar Order he would have tried to drag you back to them by now, but he has not; instead of being suspicious of him, think of what you could learn from him."

It was an odd concept to consider. Learn from a templar? The people his sister warned him about as early as he could remember. The killers of mages young and old. It made no sense to him and yet Solas' words echoed in his head for the rest of the day.


	12. Chapter 12: Val Royeaux

She had planned on going alone. Of course, it hadn't worked out that way. None of her plans had of late. The Conclave had gone to shit, her brother's rescue even more so, and her plan to face the Chantry alone had been thrown to the wind. Why did I ever think I could keep him away? The thought had plagued her since they had left Haven. There was no way to keep her brother from the fighting, the war, or the Templars.

In their last council meeting she argued feverishly against Aiden traveling to Val Royeaux , but she had been outnumbered. Josephine and Leliana both thought it a good idea for her brother to go, in an effort to show the Chantry the true face of the Herald.

_And what are they hoping they'll see?_ A young boy, that was all he was, not the murderer, or traitor they painted him as. Just a boy. The real question had been whether, or not the Chantry would see that. From what she had seen, she was sure some had, but others, they only saw a threat.

All to quickly their excursion at Val Royeaux had turned sour. Aiden and the Seeker had been arguing with one of the Mother's that had been waiting for them. Her brother had done well. He recited everything just as they practiced. There'd been no hint of fear in his voice as he argued for the Inquisition's innocence and his own. That is until the Lord Seeker and his templars had appeared. Within minutes they managed to assault the speaking Mother and stab fear deep into her brother's heart. Aiden was reduced to a muttering fool when the Lord Seeker addressed him. Seeing him, afraid and wordless, had made her blood boil and the spirit rage.

_'Kill them and be done with it,'_ it demanded._ 'The less of them in the world the better.'_

It was a ridiculous notion, but tempting nonetheless. Their was no love in her heart for the Order and yet, killing them outright would do nothing, but harm the Inquisition and, in turn, her brother. She couldn't blame the spirt though, it merely wanted to eradicate a threat.

Hidden amongst the crowd, Ela watched as the Lord Seeker cut at Cassandra, Aiden, and the crowd with nothing but words. The number of Templars surrounding him made her weary, if they decided to attack, she knew she could do little to stop them without the Spirit's help. Underneath her cloak she loosened her sword in its scarab.

When the Lord-Seeker removed himself from the wooden stage, Cassandra moved after the armor clad man, determination in every step. "Lord-Seeker Lucius, it's imperative that we speak with-"

"You will not address me." The man growled.

"Lord-Seeker?"

Ela slunk forward slowly, moving from the crowd's heart.

Lord Seeker Lucious turned, his eyes like hot coals as they narrowed on Cassandra. It sent a shiver down Ela's spine. She could only imagine the fear the man struck into helpless mages. Mages like her brother. Even from behind him she could see how tense her brother was.

"Creating a heretical movement, raising up a puppet as Andraste's prophet. You should be ashamed." The Lord-Seeker chided. "You should all be ashamed! The templars failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages! You are the ones who have failed! You who'd leash our righteous swords with doubt and fear! If you cam to appeal to the Chantry, you are to late. The only destiny here that demands respect is mine."

Aiden took a step backward, stiff and fearful, and she took another step forward. The templars were numerous as they filled into the courtyard, but some seemed doubtful; their eyes ticked between the Lord Seeker and the odd duo before them. Uncertainty laid in their eyes and she knew they could be swayed. The Inquisition needed men, even if they were Templars.

Ela took another step forward and another, yanking back the hood that covered her face. She thought of the Seeker, Leliana, the Commander, if any of these Templars were like them they would see reason. They would join. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear in every muscle, but she kept forward head held high until she stood even with her brother.

"Templars! One of your own commands the Inquisition forces. Join us, as he did!" It was the only thing that made sense to say.

"A staunch and loyal member of the Order," scoffed the Lord Seeker, his face wrinkling in disgust. "So loyal, he abandoned them for a false Herald."

A copper skinned man moved to the Lord Seeker's side. "But Lord Seeker…" The man's face was wrought with conflict. "What if the boy really was sent by the Maker? What if-"

"You're called to a higher purpose," a passing pudge faced templar snarled. "Do not question!" It was enough to quiet the man and the Lord Seeker turned back to face them.

"I will make the Templar Order a power that stands alone against the Void." He proclaimed. "We deserve recognition. Independence! You have shown me nothing, and the Inquisition…less than nothing. Templars! Val Royeaux is unworthy of our protection! We march!"

And with those words, they left. Leaving the citizens speechless and the Inquisition empty handed.

"Charming fellow, isn't he?" Varric quipped from behind.

"Has Lord Seeker Lucius gone mad?"

"Do you know him very well?" Ela asked.

"He took over the Seekers of Truth two years ago, after Lord Seeker Lambert's death. He was always a decent man, never given to ambition and grandstanding. This is very bizarre."

"Can he be reasoned with?"

"I hope so," Cassandra said. "If not him, there are surely others in the Order who don't feel as he does. Either way, we should first return to Haven and inform the others."

"I agree." Ela undid the clasp that held her cloak closed and threw it over her arm. The iron pin they'd given her depicting the sword and eye shone on her breast in the sunlight. There was no need for secrecy any longer, if it wasn't obvious that she was with Inquisition before, it was obvious now.

Aiden stirred at her side, his eyes cloudy and far off. "Are you okay?" She asked looking down on him.

Her brother nodded slowly, but made no words. As much as she wanted to press the situation, she knew it would do no good. She brushed a stray strand of hair from his face and turned to follow the Seeker out of the city. Plans for a hot bath formed in her head and when she was able to imagine sinking into a tub filled with sweet smelling oils, an arrow thudded at their feet.

Instinctively, she made to draw her sword, but the note tied to the shaft caught her attention. There had been no sign of the archer who shot it, but the note led them to three more clues that instructed them to go to a specified location. After they had gathered all the scattered notes a man approached them offering an invitation from a Madame de Fer. Then after deciding that they needed to make it to camp before dark, the rebel mage Fiona found them at the gates.

The entire interaction felt awkward, forced, as if the woman was luring them to a trap at Redcliffe, but she pushed the thought away, sure that it was just her paranoia. When they had parted ways she was more amiable to the thought of gaining the mages help. They were a much better option that the Templars.

The arrow interested her more than anything. It's obscure message confused and intrigued her, but, after finding the other clues, all the others saw was a trap. She and Cassandra argued for hours about what to do with the information. One always coming up with another point to trump the others. Eventually, they made an agreement. Before following any of the invitations, they would head back to Haven to discuss with the others.

Ela sat in her shared tent, the notes on her mind. Wondering what she would find and what kind of person waited for them.

—

"The mages are our best bet for closing the Breach." Leliana stated crossing her arms. "They are the only ones who have enough magic to help the Herald."

"The templars would serve just as well." Cullen argued leaning against the table heavily. His head pounded between his eyes and he felt himself sway from the pain. They had been arguing for half the day and they were getting nowhere. Ever since Ela and her brother had returned there had been a renewed vigor over who to go to for support. Cullen hated the arguing, it was only amplifying his headache, and the Lyrium withdrawal wasn't helping either, but he dared not be silent on the matter. _Pouring more magic into the Breach would just make things worse. How couldn't they see that?_

From across the table Ela groaned as well, rolling her neck in a circle. Her black tresses cascaded down her chest and around her frowning face. She had decided to stay till they had come to a decision, sending the Herald off to bed in the mean time. The woman was set on asking the mages for help. He could tell her fear of templars ran deep and she seemed more likely to die than let her brother be around them.

"Templars could weaken the magic in the area and allow the Herald to close the Breach." He continued earnestly.

"We don't know that,"

"I do. I was a templar. I know what they can do."

"As do I, Commander," Ela growled, turning his blood cold. "They do their best to keep mages under their thumbs and any that resist they flatten. And those that elude them, they hunt feverishly, like hounds. I won't have my brother subjected to that."

He shook his head gritting his teeth. "Not all templars are like the one's you've encountered. If they join us, we can place them under our watch. I won't…we won't let them do your brother any harm."

"I've heard that promise before," said Ela crossing her arms. "All the others failed, so I'm not inclined to take your protection seriously."

The retort stung. He should have expected it, he knew, but somehow every time they argued her words cut deeper than the others. He had saved her life and still she kept him at a distance. Close enough to talk to, but far enough away to keep herself safe from him. It frustrated him behind belief.

"It does not look as if we will be able to come to a decision tonight, after all." Josephine grunted, placing her writing board atop the table. "We still have the invitation from the mages. If you and the Herald go to Redcliffe and see what they have to say, we can make our decision afterwords and it will give us time to decide how to approach the templars if need be."

Cullen nodded reluctantly. Josephine had a point. They had been arguing long enough and spending another hour would do nothing for them. The Herald had been set away long ago and they needed to eat, whether they believed it or not.

"I'll go to Redcliffe," Ela agreed. "I have to go to question this Warden anyway. But I'll do it after I talk to this Madame de Fer."

"Your going?" Cassandra asked.

Ela nodded with a smile. "I also intend to go to the meeting point our mystery archer told us of."

"You don't know who, or what could be waiting for you," Cullen growled. "It could be an ambush. You would led your brother into that?"

"No, I would not. I plan on going alone."

"That's even more absurd. At least take Varric, or Cassandra with you." He demanded.

"If they consent to it."

Cassandra grunted unhappily. "I'd rather not walk into an ambush, but I won't let you go alone."

"Thank you, Cassandra." Ela said with a smile. Cullen eyed them curiously . Ever since they had returned from the Hinterlands, the two of them had begun agreeing and talking more and more. It was only a matter of time before the two women became friends, they had more in common than they knew. As glad as he was for it, he was jealous of their newfound closeness, and he couldn't rightly say why.

"When you've arrived in Orlais, send word." Leliana ordered. "If we don't hear back from you in a week's time we will assume the worst."

Ela nodded in agreement, and with a curt goodbye left the room.

Cullen rubbed at his throbbing head with a gloved hand. His headache had worsened and he knew his sleep would be fitful. Gathering his papers he made to leave the room, when Leliana stopped him.

"Cullen, are you okay?"

He nodded carelessly. "Yes, just a headache and an empty stomach," he assured her. "I'll be fine once I get some food."

"That isn't what I meant." Leliana chuckled lightly. "You seemed very...frustrated. You shouldn't let her get to you like that. She doesn't seem to trust anyone."

Heat rose to his face as quick as a bolt and he scratched at the back of his head. "I don't know what you mean. I just need food."

Leliana smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders. " As you say, Commander. Just know that she isn't all she seems. That woman is hiding something from all of us."


	13. Chapter 13: The Qunari and The Herald

Chapter was reuploaded! Sorry for the unreadable mess that got uploaded before.

Aiden was running, his heart pounding in his chest, blood drumming in his ears. His breaths came quick, each more difficult than the last as he struggled to catch up with Kata. The Qunari pulled ahead with every stride. It took three of his own strides just to keep up with him. It seemed impossible, but he was managing. He had to manage.

He and Ela had come to an agreement, if he wanted to accompany her on her expeditions, he needed to be faster, stronger, smarter. Kata had offered his assistance readily enough. Though it was more to get out of Haven himself, than to help Aiden. Now he was on strict schedule, whenever his sister and Solas were gone. In the early mornings, he would run with Kata and listen to his lectures, then eat lunch, train with the other mages, and read as many tomes, scrolls, and books he could get his hands on. It was exhausting, but he managed.

The regiment served as a distraction as well. He didn't think of his sister's absence, the wedge between them and Evsa, or the Lord Seeker's fearsome gaze. Ever since Val Royeaux the prospect of working with the Templars struck him with fear. El had assured him that they would chose the mages, but he found it did nothing to calm his nerves.

Rounding a bend, they slowed, and came to a stop beside a stack of uncapped wood. Kata motioned for him to sit on a weathered stone and picked up a dull ax. Without stopping to rest, he began chopping. it wasn't necessary. They had plenty of fire wood in the cabin, but since the Qunari had found the stash he'd made it his duty to to chop it all and carry them back to the cabin. Aiden was sure it was simply a distraction from Ela's absence, like everything else he did.

"Where did we leave off imekari?" Kata asked as his ax came down on another log.

Aiden shifted in his seat, raking his brain hurriedly for an answer to the question. _Had it been about combat maneuvering? _The Qunari's lectures varied from slightly interesting, to boring to the point that blades of grass became more interesting. Yesterday's lecture had been the latter. Aiden found he had stopped listening long before Kata had stopped talking.

Kata scuffed, placing another log on the block. Aiden met his gaze with a shame filled face.

Kata placed another log on the block and scuffed at him. Aiden met his gaze with a shame filled face. "Sorry," he said meekly, knowing the apology meant nothing. "I can't remember."

Kata scuffed again as he split the log. "You can't remember because you weren't listening." Aiden's face grew hot. The Qunari wasn't wrong. "What would Kadan say if she knew?"

"I said I'm sorry," Aiden said hurriedly. "You can't tell her anyway, because if you tell, I'll tell her that you broke her statute from Orlais. Ela will be angrier about that. She's still trying to figure out how it got smashed."

The Qunari stared down at him with narrow eyes, twirling the ax. Anyone else wold have thought the red eyed man was considering doing away with him all together to keep the secret safe, but Aiden knew better. They were to close, and knew and kept to many secrets for each other.

"I see no reason for us to bring up past pains," Kata said, continuing his pointless chopping. Aiden smiled, happy that neither of them would be in trouble.

They sat in silence for a time, Kata chopping log after log, and Aiden staring up at the Breach mind wandering. It had been some time since he was able to just sit and think. His mind had much on it from the neglect. He thought of his sister and all her crazy stories, but the ones that stuck were the ones about their family. The family he never got to know. If Ela's stories were anyway to judge most of them would want nothing to do with him anyway. But there were stories that made him think he would be wanted, that he would have a place somewhere besides Haven.

The only family he had ever known was Ela, Kata, and Lilith. Everyone else came and went and died. A blur of faces. Half of the names Ela mentioned in her stories, were blank faces to him. It wasn't fair, but it was better that, than to be dead in his birth home. Or with a group of mages running from Templars like deer from hunters. They were far to smart, and paranoid, to let themselves be captured by Templars, or be found out by the Inquisition. No one would hunt them, hurt them, or separate them so long as Ela had her strength and Kata his dedication. But they acted like Evsa would betray them, like she could hurt them.

"Imekari, you think too loud," Kata grumbled. "What bothers your mind?"

Aiden shrugged, leaning back on the stone. "I was thinking about us and Evsa. Why do you watch her? What are you afraid of?"

"She knows of your sister's condition."

"So, Lilith knows too?"

"Lilith knows Kadan better than Evsa. Has more trust in her."

It didn't make sense to him. Evsa was one of them. She'd traveled with them, she was a mage. "Why don't you trust her then? She's a mage too."

"Hmmm," Kata placed the ax against the block and crossed his arms. "I will tell you a story, to explain my thoughts." Aiden groaned inwardly, but turned to face the white haired man, preparing himself for a potentially boring lecture. "When I left the Qun I wandered in the Free Marches. I was lost and had no direction. I made money by working as a mercenary and other unsavory things, but I barely survived. Too often I was hunted by Templars or bas who feared me. No place was safe for me.

"I met Kadan when I was close to death. I was starved and bloody. She picked me up, took me to an inn, gave me food, and helped me regain my strength. When I was healed she gave me six sovereigns and left me. I didn't know what to do, or where to go, so I followed her. Kadan tried to make me leave, but I would not relent. We worked together, shared food, tents, money, even clothing. We were one. Seven months after I met her, we found Lilith in a similar state.

"We helped her as Kadan helped me. Lilith had escaped from her jail of Serrebas and had no where else to go, so she joined us. I did not trust her. I clutched to my beliefs from before that all Serrebas were evil.. I threatened her, put my sword to her throat. The woman persisted and Kadan bid me to leave her be. So I did.

"An entire year I stayed at Kadan's side. I saw her at her worst and her best. Lilith became one of us soon enough and I found that I trusted her more than I had before, but I did not drop my guard. She was a Serrebas."

"What does Serrebas mean?" Aiden asked leaning forward.

"It is a mage, but, literally, it means dangerous thing. Does that satisfy?"

"Why do you call them dangerous things?"

"Because that is what they are," Kata answered with a sigh. "Listen now." He cleared his throat. "After a year we moved onto Orlais for jobs. It is there I found that Kadan was a Serrebas. We were surrounded and Lilith was near death. Kadan used her magic to save us. It caused me to be conflicted. I trusted her, but she lied to me. I thought her a warrior of honor and to find that she was a Serrebas conflicted with what I believed when I was in the Qun. I would not talk to her, sleep near her, or even eat in her presence. Lilith called me fool. Kadan did not speak to me.

"She left me to my own devices for three days and on the fourth day she approached me and told me that I would either have to leave, or learn to live with them under the circumstances. I considered my options and I stayed. I forced myself to see them as they were, they were Serrebas, but they were my ...hm...group, no,...friends, but more."

"Family?" Aiden guessed. Kata always struggled with idioms.

"Yes and no. We have no shared blood. That is besides the point. I forced myself to leave my past beliefs there, in the past, and moved forward at Kadan's side. But it was not the last time I questioned my decision.

"One day, while we were working a job in the Free Marches, a group of Templars cornered us. We were outnumbered. They had twenty men to our three. Death was assured. Kadan begged for our lives, but the leader, your blood, ordered us to be killed. Kadan's condition saved us. It killed all, but one, and that one could do little and fled. Kadan was left unconscious and I put my sword to her throat. She was a demon. The things I learned under the Qun returned to me. They flooded my mind. Everything I knew told me to kill her, but I stayed my blade. I cared for her until she awoke and then I demand answers. She told me everything, and I listened closely, sure that she had chosen this for power, only to hear that it was forced upon her. I know, had I not spent that year with her and Lilith, watching them, learning from them, I would have killed her without hesitation."

"So you learned from her even though you thought she was dangerous to you?" Aiden asked slowly, thoughts of Solas' words rolling through his head.

"Yes. That is why I fear the elf will be untrue. She has not overcome her past, she does not trust bas, or me because of what I am. The elf will not trust Kadan either. She has not learned anything. I cannot allow her to do us harm, so I watch her."

"Has she done anything?"

"She talks to other Serrebas, elves mostly. But they may be spies and if she feels compelled to tell them of Kadan it will ruin us." Kata looked up at the sky and sighed. "You need food. Go, eat, and rest. We will run more tomorrow and you will work with the tall one."

"Solas?"

"Yes. Watch for Lilith, if she has not eaten bid her to do so."

"And Evsa?"

"Treat her the same. I watch her, you've no need for worry." With a pat on his head, the Qunari turned him and ushered him back toward the village.

Aiden started off, the snow crunching under foot, but stopped. _Think of what you could learn from him. _He turned. "Kata, I need your help."

"With eating? You're much to old for that." The Qunari said without hesitation.

"No," Aiden groaned. As stoic as the man was he always tried to be funny, in his own dry manner. "That's not funny either." Kata shrugged and sliced another log. "I want to learn to use a sword, but I know you can't teach me because Ela would-"

"Banish me to the Fade." Kata finished.

"No she wouldn't."

"Kadan said so herself."

"Oh," Aiden paused wondering when his sister had even found the time. She was barely in Haven, but she and Kata were closer than he cared to imagine. "I want to learn how to fight with a sword. Solas can't teach me and Ela won't, but do you think…the Commander would?"

Kata stopped his ax halfway through another swing and looked at Aiden from under his thick white eyebrows. "The red man?" Aiden nodded. "The Commander Kadan works under?" He nodded again. "Hmm, I do not advise it, but he may. If he has reason. He may deny you. The Commander respects Kadan and may not help you because of it. However, if you offer compensation for the training he may assist you."

"What could I give him? I don't have anything."

"I do not know, but I will help you, imekari. You need to know how to fight and the magic is not enough." Kat finished his ax swing, and swept the pieces aside. "Go now, I will not tell Kadan, but we must be smart."

Aiden nodded, turned, and left, a grin growing on his face.

Leave a comment if you enjoyed! This story is also on Archive of Our Own under the username Loveless26. I upload there first and the story is edited better there. I have been having issues with FanFiction uploading older versions of documents. I am working to resolve this and re-upload the chapters. Uploads will also be more frequent since it's winter break and my poor college soul is free for a month.


	14. Chapter 14: A Lead

"I hope you have real news Leliana," Josephine yawned rubbing at her eyes. The woman was still in her night dress, hair strewn across her shoulders. "The sun hasn't even risen yet."

Cullen rubbed at his own eyes, forcing out the sleep. Leliana had called the meeting to discuss some urgent matter. The messenger had caught him in the middle of shaving and, instead of finishing, Cullen had rushed to the council room, sure that something terrible had happened to Cassandra and the others. When he arrived Josephine was the only one there, yawning and mumbling quietly about the time. Leliana came in shortly after, dressed, and holding an arm full of papers. Pushing back his unruly curls, he leaned against the table as Leliana laid scrolls and books out in front of them.

"I think I finally have answers for us," the Spymaster said grinning. "I had my agents investigate any leads on the Bloody Suns and it seems that their first job was in the Free Marches."

Cullen groaned inwardly. Lately, Leliana seemed obsessed with finding out about the Herald and his sister's past. If she didn't have her agents watching the Qunari and mages in her company, they were reading the letters the Herald and Ela sent to each other.

"What is the point of this Leliana?" He asked trying to hide his irritation. "We should leave their past alone. If they wanted us to know, they would have told us."

Josephine snapped her head around. "We work with them, Commander. Their reputation could be a stain on the Inquisition."

"Or it could help us," Leliana added eyeing him from under her hood.

"No matter what it is we must know. If they are known negatively among nobles it can hurt us." Josephine stressed. "The Inquisition needs support, it needs men, it needs supplies. All this we gain from nobles, the Chantry, and tradesmen, but we must show them that the Herald is someone worth supporting."

"This is ridiculous. If the nobles and the Chantry won't give us support, then we find ways to move forward without it. The Inquisition wasn't founded by them."

"We can only go so far on the ties we have now." Josephine explained . "Each time I meet with a potential ally they ask of the Herald and I can say nothing, because I know nothing. Neither, Ela, nor her brother will tell me anything of themselves. These things may not be important to you Commander, but they are important to the Inquisition as a whole."

"Josey there is no need to skewer our Commander. He thinks differently is all." Leliana said unrolling a particularly weathered scroll. "I have information that may change that though. While there is no record of the Bloody Suns past this job in the Free Marches, there is record of Lilith. It seems she was a mage at the Markham Circle, but they had an incident where ten escaped."

"Ten? How did they lose ten mages?" Cullen asked.

Leliana moved to a book bound with black leather. "It seems they were taking the mages to help a local city with a severe sickness that was ravaging the area. A few Templars grew sick and the mages used the advantage to overthrow the remaining ones."

"I can't imagine they evaded them for long."

"They didn't," Leliana explained. "Search parties were sent after them. All were found, dead or alive, save for Lilith. A group of Templars were sent out with her phylactery, bu they never returned and their bodies were never found."

"Well, that does not bode well." Josephine whispered to herself.

"It's unusual, but not unheard of," Cullen added. "But what does this have to do with the Herald and his sister?"

Leliana gave a coy smile. "I had my agents look for records of mages with purple eyes. It is a rare trait, and poorly documented, but they found a few records."

"And?" Josephine asked

"Two notable families have had this trait in their family, both in the Free Marches. They also found a number of villages rumored to have had purple eyed children." Leliana stretched a long scroll across the table. "I wasn't sure which lead to investigate first, until one of my agents here finally gave me more information. The elven mage, Evsa, was talking about Ela, she said the woman describes herself as modest in temper."

"So?" Cullen growled rubbing his unshaven cheek.

"Modest in temper is part of the Trevelyan house motto. The full saying is 'Modest in temper, bold in deed.'"

Josephine moved closer to the unrolled scroll looking over it with intensity. Cullen followed suit. The scroll had small circles scribbled all around it, with lines connecting each one and inside each circle was a different name. "Is this the Trevelyan family tree?" Josephine asked dragging her finger down the parchment.

"Not the original," Leliana answered, " but it has some interesting information. For nearly forty years, the Trevelyans have not had a single mage in their family. Whereas, before every few years another mage would be sent. Instead of sending their mages to the circle, they may be reporting them as dead." Leliana pointed at the last few circles on the parchment. "The last generation has five members, but it seems that only two 'survived'."

Cullen leaned in further, straining his eyes to read the messy script. _Torres Trevelyan - Died from fever, age ten. Eliana Trevelyan - Joined Templar Order. Juliana Trevelyan - Married Bann Ringlen. Alesana Trevelyan - Died from wagon accident, age six. Aidan Trevelyan - Died from drowning, age seven. _"Aidan Trevelyan," he mumbled to himself.

"Strikingly similar to our young Herald's name, no?"

"It is, but that doesn't mean anything."

"Cullen has a point," Josephine voiced, still staring at the family tree. "This could be coincidence. We should confront the Herald and Ela about this."

Cullen nodded in agreement. "If we show her the information we have gathered, she may come clean."

Liliana sighed crossing her arms. "I doubt the woman will. That is why I wish to go about this is a different manner."

"How?" Josephine asked.

"By doing something underhanded." Leliana admitted. "I want to contact this family, indirectly, and find out what the truth of these deaths."

"Is that wise?" Josephine asked. "What else do we know about them? They may have good reason for keeping this secret. I think it would be best if we confronted them about it. Going behind their backs could show ill will."

"Josephine has a point," Cullen chimed, "they may have good reason to keep this a secret."

"We have asked before and we have gotten no answers. Josey, you spent an entire week trying to convince Ela to tell you where they came from. When you told her why you needed it, it did not change her mind and it will not change it now. We must take action. If we do not get this information it could be used against us if something sinister comes to light."

Josephine sighed folding her arms across her chest.

"This is what's best for the Inquisition." Leliana said pointedly.

In that moment, he hated himself, because he knew he had to agree. The Inquisition came before anything else. As much as he hated nobles and their damned reputation, they needed them. Knowing the Herald's origins would help them. They needed supplies, needed men, needed support. _Damn it all. _

Josephine was the first to mutter in agreement and he followed suit quickly after. Leliana smiled that damned coy smile of her's and thanked them. Thanked them for seeing things in her light. Cullen just shook his head, angry with what he had to agree too.

"Do you intend to contact Bann Trevelyan personally?"

"Of course not." Leliana answered. "I will have my agents make contact with someone of less notoriety. A servant perhaps, or one of his daughters."

Cullen shock his head. "I don't like this, it isn't right."

"What's right and what's best for the Inquisition are not always the same Cullen." Leliana said regathering her papers. "Don't worry too much on it though. You just keep Ela busy and try no to look to guilty."

"Easier said than done," he grumbled.


	15. Chapter 15: Recruits and Commanders

"Higher up, Rowlen," Ela shouted circling the score of recruits. "You don't want that sword coming down on your shoulder."

"Yes, ma'm." The recruit raised his shield in time to block the sword, earning a small smile from her.

Her new group had started out, for lack of a better word, poorly. They were a mixture of farm boys and city street rats from Maker only knew where, come to join the Inquisition. By no means were they a rowdy bunch, many had never even held a sword before, and fewer a shield. Why they had joined the Inquisition she couldn't rightly say, but they were there, and they were hers until the Commander deemed them ready for the field.

Commander Cullen, happy with how her last group of recruits progressed, had encouraged her to stay in Haven for a few weeks to help train the newest batch of recruits. She still couldn't understand why the Commander needed her help, he had plenty of men, but it wasn't her place to question. She owed him after all.

As frustrating as training was, it felt good to stay in one place. Running between Fereldan and Orlais had worn her out. Ela was happy that they had gained something for all of it though. In Orlais, she had managed to get not just one, but two more agents for the Inquisition. A mage, called Madame de Fer, and an elven archer, named Sera. They were as different as apples and nugs, but similar in that they were nothing like normal mages, or elves.

Madam de Fer was loyal to the Circle and even supported the Templars. When Ela had talked to the woman, it had taken everything in her, not to laugh in her face, they needed the support after all. So she bared through it, and recruited her with a smile, promising herself that she wouldn't let the woman get to close to Aiden.

Sera made her want to laugh too, but in a much better way. The archer was quirky, cute, and seemed to enjoy causing trouble. Three things she could appreciate. Even though the elf preferred to stay a good distance away from mages, it didn't bother Ela. What Sera didn't know, wouldn't hurt her.

Along with Sera and Madame de Fer, she met with The Bull's Chargers and got The Iron Bull himself as her brother's bodyguard. She was quite familiar with The Chargers; they had nabbed more than a few jobs from her and her men. Seeing him in action at the Storm Coast, showed her why. The man was like a living weapon. All her life she had thought Kata was big, but the Iron Bull was taller, wider and thicker. Also he was a spy. She still didn't know how to feel about that.

"James, put some force bering your swing! You're supposed to try and kill him, not fan him!"

_'Are these the men your hoping will keep you and your brother safe?'_ The spirit growled pressing against her barrier.

For the last few weeks, the spirit had been more vocal than normal. It complained about everything. The thing complained if she left Aiden at Haven, it complained when she considered taking him into the field, it complained when she stayed at Haven with him. Nothing seemed to please it. All it wanted was to leave Haven and the Breach behind.

_'They are weak, and you, weaker for relying on them,' _it hissed, _'take your brother and leave.'_

"Sable, what did I say about your feet?" Ela nudged his foot forward with her own._ "_Keep your stance tight, or you'll end up on your ass."

"Yes, ma'm," he parroted adjusting himself.

She went back to circling.

_'This place is dangerous. I can feel it.'_

_Everywhere is dangerous._ Ela wanted to say, but it was better not to communicate with it. Lately, that seemed like what the thing wanted.

"Jacque, are you trying to slap him with the flat of your sword?" Ela asked a pox faced recruit. He had wide grey eyes and didn't look older than seventeen.

"No," the boy replied dully.

"No, what?"

"No, ma'm."

"Then lower you arm, good, and don't twist your wrist, there. Now stab, then swing...and block. Good! Do it again." The boy did as she bid, moving with more confidence.

_'What will you do when they fall? Or worse, when they turn on you?'_ The spirit asked. _'Will you let them take you, let them kill you? No, you'll tear them to shreds. All of them. Even this boy.'_

_"Hush, I've enough to do without your gripping." _Ela snapped her face growing hot.

"Jacque, again," she ordered.

_'Will you be able to do it? Kill the men you trained? I think not,' _it purred._ 'After all, despite everything he did to you, you couldn't even kill that man.'_

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Ela mumbled crossing her arms.

"My opinion on what?"

It took every ounce of her self-control not jump at the sound of the Commander's voice, but it didn't stop the squeak that escaped her. Despite all the armor the man wore, he managed to move relatively quietly Ela had learned. This wasn't the first time he had surprised her and she was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose.

The Commander chuckled, crossing his arms. "I'm sorry, did I startle you?" He asked flashing a smile.

Ela pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a heavy sigh. "Just a little," she admitted. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to see you give these poor men, hell." He said looking over the recruits.

"What do you think I'm too hard on them?" She asked genuinely concerned. Her intention was to work them hard, but not to hard that they dropped like flies.

"No, not at all. I think you're doing well, yesterday they couldn't even block properly. I'm more surprised that you've memorized all their names."

Ela shrugged, letting her hands fall to her sword hilt. "It's not so hard. There's only twenty of them."

"It's still impressive," the Commander stressed.

"I suppose so," she said refolding her arms. They stood in silence, watching as the men practiced drill after drill. Sweat grew on their brows with each swing and they moved slower and slower. It wouldn't be long before she would need to call it a day.

"Was there something you needed Commander?" Ela asked when the silence became to thick.

The Commander shook his head no, his pretty golden curls shining in the light of the evening, and went back to watching the men train. It was easy to ignore that handsome face of his, but it was much harder to ignore his perfect hair. It seemed so soft, so touchable. She kept promising herself that one day she would ask him what he did to get such perfect locks.

Her and Aiden's hair was curly and unruly. She'd never learned how to properly tame it without using heated metal prongs to straighten it. It was that, or resigning to put it into a tight braid, or ponytail for the day.

_I need to cut Aiden's hair before it gets to long. _She thought pulling at one of her loose curls. _Kata's too. _

"May I ask you something?" The Commander's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Of course, Commander."

"I hope it doesn't upset you." He said, voice laden with discomfort. "I was wondering, your family…what were they like?"

_So it's to be this then. _Ela crossed her arms taking in a deep breath. Her family and her past, that's all the advisors wanted to know anymore, Leliana especially. Since arriving in Haven the Commander was the only one who hadn't pressured her about it, till now that is.

"Small," Ela replied thinking of a harmless answer, "devout, harsh. They had their problems like everyone else, but they were good people."

"Did they teach you to fight?"

"My father did, he thought it important." She lied. It wasn't a whole lie, her actual father taught her nothing, the man that had stolen her away had taught her everything she knew. He was more of a father than Bann Trevelyan had ever been.

"He taught you well," the Commander said. "Was he…uh…like you?"

"I…I'd rather not speak of this anymore."

The Commander scratched at the back of his neck. "I understand. You should give your men a break, before they topple over."

Ela nodded, the recruits were still green, she couldn't push them to hard yet. With a whistle she dismissed them. Their faces melted in relief and they trudged off with their shoulders slumped.

"Thank you, for not prying." Ela said rubbing at her shoulders. "I know I've been hard to work with."

"You're easier to work with then some." The Commander expressed solemnly. "I can understand wanting to leave your past behind."

_Was he always so sweet? _It'd been a long while since she had talked to the Commander alone. They'd only talked in passing, or in Council meetings where he was constantly advocating for the Templars. It was easy to forget that outside he was a decent man.

"I wish the others shared your mindset." Ela said with a smile. 

The Commander shot a smile back. "I'm sure they'll come around. You're charming enough to change their minds."

"Are you complementing me, Commander?"

"I uh," the Commander cleared his throat. "I am. You have much to compliment after all." He said in a husky tone. "And it's Cullen. We aren't working anymore."

_'He's bold, but don't let this Templar fluster you,' _the spirit advised.

"Of course, Cullen." Ela blushed. "Uh, I…I should, I have to go check on Aiden." She stuttered backing up with a smile.

"I understand, and uh, Ela." He turned toward her, rubbing at his neck again. His face pulled into a grimace as he searched for words.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," he said his hazel eyes falling on her. "For how I am in Council. I know you have every reason not to trust Templars. I hope you don't think I trust them more…I trust you too. I just, I know what they can do."

_'He lies, he's been trained to never trust a mage.'_

Ela nodded hiding a smile. " It's alright. I don't hold it against you. You have no need for concern."

Cullen flashed her another smile. "I'm glad to hear that. I,uh, I hope you have a good day, Ela."

"You as well, Cullen." Ela uttered as she backed away. With an awkward wave she turned and headed into Haven.

_'Try not to fuck him.' _The spirit snapped as she made her way up the stairs. _'Remember what he is.'_

_"I'm not going to fuck him." _Ela groaned speeding up.

The spirit scoffed, and, if it had eyes, she sure it was rolling them. _'That's what you said about the Warden in Navarra.'_

Dragging a hand across her face, she exhaled and tried to regain her stolen composure. Between the Commander and Sera, it was hard to remain focused on her end goal. _Close the Breach, and then we're gone. No time for relationships, especially with Templars._ Her thoughts wondered to the blond archer and her slim frame. Maybe she could make something work with her though, even if it only lasted while she was in Haven.


	16. Chapter 16: Mishaps and More

So this start of the year has not been great for me. My car got broken into and all my documents on my computer became corrupted. However, I threw this together from memory so here you are!

Explicit Content Ahead! (Cause some of you wanted it.)

"You know, when they said the Herald of Andraste was a child…I didn't believe them." Sera voiced from his side. "I thought they were just blowing air, but here you are. You're so…young. Are you even fourteen?"

"I'm thirteen," Aiden said through gritted teeth. _How old are you? You're so young. Poor kid. _That's all he ever heard anymore. He preferred it when it had just been Cassandra, Varric, and Solas. The new agents were all weird and they asked to many questions. Sure, there were a few he liked. The Iron Bull was cool, he could chop men into pieces with one swing, he'd seen him do it. The Warden seemed alright, but he had only said three words to the man before he left for Haven. Aiden had expected Sera to be weird from Ela's stories alone, but he hoped she would be fun too. So far, he couldn't tell how to judge her.

Even after traveling all the way to the Hinterlands with her he didn't know how to feel. For the first few days she hardly talked to him, just watched from a far. That had made him uncomfortable. Ela and Kata assured him it was nothing to be worried about.

"She's curious," Kata had said one night.

Aiden had huffed at the answer. "If she's curious why doesn't she just talk to me."

Kata shrugged his shoulders and took a bite out of his oat bread before answering. "Humans, elves, dwarves, all of them are different, complicated. Do not worry. She will stop staring with time."

Ela nodded in agreement. "Don't get worked up about it. You're the Herald now, lots of people are going to stare."

His sister hadn't been wrong. When they made their way through the Crossroads plenty of people there stopped and stared as they passed through. All those eyes made his skin itch.

"Thirteen, yeah, that's young. So what's it like being the Herald and all?" Sera asked. "No fun, I bet, all work and nobles, yeah?"

Aiden nodded. Since confronting the Chantry he'd met more nobles than ever before in his life. It was tiring and annoying, but Josephine helped. She was like a rope for a drowning man.

"It's hard," he answered. "I can't do anything fun anymore. Ela won't even let me go any where without a bodyguard."

"I can't have the savior of Thedas getting hurt," Ela interjected from ahead of them. His sister was clad in an onyx breastplate, bracers, and greaves atop a navy blue shift. Her black hair was plaited into two long braids, Kata's work, that hung down her back.

"Sure it's annoying, but it means she cares." Sera said shrugging her shoulders.

"Thank you." Ela shot her a smile from over her shoulder. "I'm glad someone sees it for what it is."

Aiden rolled his eyes. Ela had been flirting with the elf since they left Haven. It was harmless, she assured, but annoying nonetheless.

"Whats a Red Jenny do?" He asked hoping to change the subject.

"Lots of different stuff. Depends on who it is. Some people are fences, others just listen and talk to the right people, and others make things happen."

"I'm going to guess you're one of the ones who makes things happen." Ela said.

"I do lots of stuff. Not all quiet."

"Interesting."

"You aren't the first to say."

"And I doubt I'll be the last."

Aiden resisted the urge to groan and instead turned to look at the passing countryside. His horse nickered beneath him and he clutched at the reins. He hadn't ridden many horses. Before, they mainly got around on foot, only using horses to pull the wagons with their tents and quarries from jobs. Now, Ela wanted to use horses as much as possible to save time. At least that's what she said. Aiden was sure his sister favored horses to walking in case they were ambushed, that way he could make a quick escape.

"Ela where are we going now?" He asked. They'd been running around the Hinterlands for two days, closing Rift after Rift, fighting demons and Templars and Mages- well they were fighting. He was still being shuffled to the back. It was tiring. He'd been training for months, just for this, only to be pushed aside while they fought for him.

"Yes, where are we going?" Cassandra asked pulling forward. Her brown gelding snorted in annoyance. "We've closed almost every Rift."

His sister nodded slowly."We have," she said quietly looking forward.

"So, are we going to meet the mages now?" Aiden asked.

Ela bit her lower lip. "We are, but first we make camp."

"Camp? It's midday."Cassandra voiced.

"We aren't staying."

"Then why are we making camp?" He asked irritation rising in his voice.

Ela let out a heavy sigh. "Your staying there Aiden, you, Kata-"

"What why?!" Aiden snapped. "You can't do that, they wanted to talk to m-"

"Imekari." Kata growled from behind. He flinched at the sound and quieted himself.

"We don't know if this meeting with the mages is a trap or not," Ela said calmly, "I don't think it's wise for us to take you until we are sure the area is relatively safe."

"It is a wise decision." Cassandra added. "You should listen to your sister."

_Why?_ He thought angrily. _I'm the Herald. She isn't._

Ela slowed her horse to move beside him. "I don't like it anymore than you, but we have to take precautions. Kata and Bull will stay with you. Me, Sera, Solas, and Cassandra will go to Redcliffe."

He opened his mouth, thought better, and clacked it shut. It would do no good. Once Ela made up her mind, it was almost pointless to argue. Plus, Kata would only chide him again.

They rode the rest of the way in silence pierced only by the clop of horses hooves. The camp was nestled between a hill and an empty farm house. They'd passed it a dozen times and he had come to the conclusion that it was in the most uneventful part of the Hinterlands. So there was no surprise it was his sister's first choice for camp.

Dismounting, he threw his pack down by the largest tent. Taking a seat in the damp grass, he watched his sister prep to leave, with the best pout on his face. She refilled her potions. Stopped, checked her sword for nicks. Shoved a few strips of dried meat into her mouth. Took a long draw of water. Looked over the camp. Patted him on the head with out a word and left.

He watched her go. His leg bouncing in time and his face burning.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Kata watching him. The Qunari pulled something from his pack and walked over.

Sitting in front of him, he placed a worn oak board between them. "Game?" He asked placing pieces on the board. Aiden nodded, shoving a strip of meat into his mouth. It was salty and tough as leather. Good nonetheless.

"I want black," Aiden said after a minute. Kata shifted the board accordingly.

The Bull appeared next to them. "You play chess?" He asked towering above them.

Kata glanced at him through narrowed eyes. "Is that a surprise?"

"I didn't think Tal-Vashoth enjoyed these things." Bull smiled.

"Tal-Vashoth are more varied than you think," Kata said returning his attention to the board. "Imekari, you move first."

—

Sera let another arrow off as the Rift spat out two more demons. The mustached mage sent a barrage of fire after them and she backed away further, trying to put as much space between her and all the magic shite. It was bad enough they were in a village full of mages, but now they were following secret notes and fighting demons in Chantries. That was to much.

Notching another arrow, she planted it a shades abdomen and wondered for the third time where the Herald was. Ela had sent the Seeker to collect the boy, while they held the demons at bay. All shite it was.

"How long did you say?" The mustached mage asked as he twirled his staff through the air. He was a different one. From the looks of him, he was Tevinter and proud of it. Plus he was a mage so that made him even more suspicious.

"Soon," Ela replied burying her sword in a shade. "I said soon."

"I do hope you're right." The mage fired back.

_I hope she's right too, _Sera thought.

Ela side skirted a charging shade and slashed it across the back. Dipped low and slid her blade under its arm. Impressive it was, but it wasn't reassuring her that they'd make it out of the Chantry alive. The Rift was spitting out more and more the longer they sat inside.

"We just have to hold a little bit longer. Once he's here he-"

The doors of the Chantry thudded open. The slap of boots on stone echoed and mingled with the pop of magic as the Seeker, the two Oxmen, and the Herald strode in, swords - and staff - at the ready. A wave of relief rolled over her. Finally, they could leave this place.

"Aiden!" Ela smiled. " Good, close this!"

The Herald grinned as he sent a bolt of lighting at a shade, missing by a hair's breath. "I thought you'd have it under control." He said as Bull sliced the shade in half.

His sister only sighed in answer.

Running forward, the Herald threw his arm outward and closed the Rift. _It's over_, she sighed to herself,_ for now at least._

"Fascinating," the older mage said striding forward. He looked at the Herald's hand with wonder in his eyes. _Fascinating?_ More like frighting. Whatever gave that boy the Mark was evil. Why did every one thinks its as some gift? After all, it connected to the the things that were _literally_ spitting out demons. That didn't make the Herald bad, or anything, but it made him dangerous. More dangerous than other mages. She hadn't imagined so much magic shite when she joined. Then again, all she saw were those shiny eyes and white smile when she agreed to it.

Watching as the mage poured over his hand, she felt her stomach turn, and she retreated outside to try and calm her nerves. Closing the heavy wooden doors after her, she looked over Redcliffe. It looked like what she had imagined Haven to be. Big, busy, and well-kept. Instead, she had found a ramshackle village with more tents than homes.

The people there were similar. Most looked run down and overworked, though there were those few that always seemed to look put together. Everyone seemed to have their own space too. The mages and their area, the templars their's, and the villagers and soldiers their's. There were almost clearly divided lines between them all. It was better than Redcliffe though, there were mages everywhere with their robes and staves. There was nowhere to get away from them.

"Sera are you alright?" Ela asked from behind. It startled her, she hadn't even heard the door open. "You look pale."

"Yeah just needed some air," she answered, "we leaving yet?"

Ela gave a curt nod, resting a hand on her sword. "Not much we can do here. Not with the magister here." Cassandra and the others were leaving the Chantry now too.

"Good, all this felt wrong any way."

"How so?" Ela asked.

Sera shrugged her shoulders. "Too much magic in one place. Doesn't seem right with no one to watch them."

"We should leave as soon as possible," Cassandra said, "these magister won't wait to long for a reply."

"You're right. We'll stay till tomorrow." Ela took a long look at the docks. "I don't like this either, Sera. But I think my discomfort is from something else."

"Yeah I can guess." Sera admitted. Between Inquisition duties and watching her brother, this was probably just another issue on her lap. "It'll be better once were back and safe at Haven."

Ela gave a dry chuckle, "Yeah, maybe."

—-

"Are you upset, Kata?" Kadan asked tossing down her bedroll. They were turning in for the night and for once it was just the two of them. No Aiden, no Lilith, no Evsa. Just him and Kadan, like it use to be.

"No," Kata answered rolling onto his side. "I was thinking."

Plopping down, she stripped to her shift and began undoing her long hair. Why she never wore bottoms to bed was still a mystery to him. If they were attacked int he night she'd be slow to be ready, though i thad not proved a problem before. "Of?"

"The imekari."

"What about Aiden?" Kata watched a she ran her fingers through her hair, shaking her black curls loose. They were a pleasant sight.

"You can't keep leaving him behind," he said matter of factly.

"Hmmm really,"

"Really."

"And why not?" She asked stretching her muscled arms. Laying back she peered up at him with a grin. "Because I don't think that's the issue you have. I think you're upset cause I left you with the Bull."

Kata scuffed sitting upward quickly. "No. I simply prefer to be away from him."

"Then is it jealousy?" Kadan asked rolling toward him. Her smile was both pleasant and mocking, something only she seemed to achieve. Those brown legs of hers twisted around each other, accenting the plumpness of her thighs.

"Of what?"

"Lilith laying with The Iron Bull." She whispered accentuating every word.

"There is no reason," he said, "if she wishes to lay with someone else she may, just as you."

"I'm aware, but that doesn't mean you don't feel jealousy."

"I feel concerned for you both, as well as the imekari." Kata admitted. "After all, you pursue that elf."

Kadan rolled onto her back, tossing an arm over her face. "She's just interesting."

"And afraid of mages, magic, and demons." He reminded her.

"I know, I know." He was glad for that. There were other time were she hadn't taken the dangers of her position to heart.

He slid closer to her, wondering why she felt the need to hide her face. "There are other options. The Commander has taken an interest in you." He said taking one of her curls in hand.

Kadan chuckled. "Please, don't remind me. It's bad enough I work under him."

"Things would be easier if your kind were more like Qunari. You would ask the elf, the Commander would ask you. Simple."

"To you maybe," she mumbled, "I told you things are different a long time again. Most things aren't so simple. Like Raul and Fora, they couldn't stand to see each other with someone else, but they couldn't stand to be together."

"You and I are simple."

"That's because we have an agreement."

"A good agreement, yes?" He whispered sinking downward.

Kadan didn't answer. Leaning up to meet him, her soft plump lips slid between his. It was a sensation he'd missed. Sliding a hand across her back, Kata pulled her closer. Her body molded against his, her scent filling his nostrils.

"We have to be quiet," she informed between kisses.

Hefting her upward, he gave a light bite on her collar bone. "We always are," he whispered sliding a hand along her bottom. She chuckled in response and wrapped a hand around his neck.

His own hands wandered, feeling her back and bottom as they kissed, bit, and licked one another till their lips were raw, and his member strained against his pants. Every place she touched, his skin prickled. She was warm and radiant. Exactly what he needed - what they both needed.

Laying her back down, he slid a hand up her thigh to find her slick and warm. He slipped a finger between her folds and rubbed at the sensitive bud there. _There are positives to her attire,_ he thought watching her writhe beneath him.

Looking down on her, Kata remember why he preferred her over all the others. She was perfect, soft and supple, but strong. She always knew what she wanted and how she wanted it. So much like a tamassarin he knew long ago.

With a stray hand, she pulled up her shift and he helped by leaving a trail of kisses up her stomach that forced her to bite her hand to stop from moaning. She sat up to meet him and bit at his lip. His manhood twitched in response. One of her hands wondered and undid the lacing that held his breeches closed. Within seconds he was free and in her soft grip.

Kata buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of the lilac powder she used daily, and did his best to not groan with each tug of her hand. Her hand worked with an eagerness that was absent the last time they laid with one another. "May I?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her.

She nodded in earnest, wrapping her legs around him and nibbling at his neck. He kissed her as he pushed against her womanhood and entered in one slow motion. Each inch felt better than the last as he pushed into her, careful not to hurt her. Laying with other races was always a chore. They were all small and fragile, but some were worth the work.

Kadan's breath hitched and he could feel her swallow deep in her throat. "Kata," she moaned quietly, "faster." The words sent a tingle down his spine and he obeyed happily. A smile spread across her face. Her breasts bounced with each thrust and he cupped one in his hand kneading at it. She was so warm, so wet, so tight. He found himself holding his breath, so not to pant.

A gasp escaped from him as her fingers raked along his back, leaving trails of fire that made every muscle in him tense. He could fell himself growing closer. It'd been so long. He'd missed it so much.

Beneath him, her body tightened and shook around him. Her nails dug into him. Her back arched and her eyes sparkled as her face melted with pleasure. It was almost enough to send him over the edge, but he slowed and kissed her neck holding back from his own release. It couldn't be too soon. They both need to enjoy themselves.

Regulating his breathing, he lifted her upwards till she rested on his calves and began to thrust upward in short motions. Kadan dug her nails into his back once more. Biting at his neck, she panted quietly, her hands grabbing fistfuls of his hair. It sent chills down his spine.

"Kata, it's your turn for-" Kata stops, crushing Kadan against his chest. His head whips around to see Cassandra peeking through the entrance of the tent. Before either of them can say anything, she whips around leaving them to their suddenly awkward nakedness.

With a shove, Kadan pulls away from him, clutching her face. "Maker, we should have been quicker." She grumbled reaching for her folded leggings.

Kata pulled up his breeched, his mood suddenly souring. "I'll go," he said lacing his breeches up, "I've watch anyway." Grabbing his sword he headed out into the muggy night to find the Seeker.

He found her across the camp, her arms crossed, and a hard look on her face. From the low firelight he could tell her cheeks were flushed.

"Seeker," he greeted calmly, "I apologize the…predicament you found us in."

"There is no need to apologize. Your relationship is your own business. I had assumed you two were close." She said glancing at him with a car eye. "Though from the way, she flirted with Sera I had assumed she was not involved with anyone. She should be more courteous."

Kata's eyes narrowed. He disliked it when people made assumptions. "She has a right to be with whoever she pleases," he explained slowly. "We are not together."

"Please, I don't need to know. As long as it doesn't interfere with the Inquisition."

Nodding, he strapped his sword to his back. "I would ask that you don't speak of it, especially to the boy."

"Does he not know?"

"The imekari is…protective."

"I see," Cassandra said crossing her arms, "You will not have trouble from me. I will see you in the morning." With a nod, the woman left for her tent. Leaving him to sit alone, the humid air slapping against his now cold flesh. With every gust of wind, her scent flitted through the air. He cursed himself for not enjoying it more. There'd be no time anymore.

Once they returned to Haven, he'd be back watching the imekari, and watching her leave. It was hard. Torturous even. Not knowing if she'd come back. He didn't like the idea of caring for the imekari alone. The boy was emotional and reckless.

Without his sister, the imekari would fail, no matter how much he tried to care for him. There were some things only she could teach him. How to control his magic, how to act normal, how to control that spirit. He would helpless to help the imekari. Just as he had been helpless before Kadan had saved him.

They both needed her, even if neither of them would admit it aloud.


	17. Chapter 17: A Decision

"No," Ela growled, "no,no,no. If you think I'm going to let you use him as bait you're wrong. I'd rather try and recruit the Templars."

"If we want the mages support, this is what must be done." Leliana said folding her arms. "It will remove them from Tevinter's service and into ours."

"It is to dangerous,"the Commander added. He stood across the war table, his arms crossed. "If it's true that they manipulated time to arrive before us, we cannot tell what lengths they'll go to to keep them under their control." It felt good to have at least one of them agree with her. She'd come in sure that the three of them come up with a plan, but the one they offered was…insane.

"But can we leave the mages under their control? Tevinter forces on Fereldan soil? I fear that could be more dangerous than our own plan." Josephine shook her head sadly as she spoke.

"I don't see how. If we lose Aiden than we've no way to close the Breach and this Inquisition is purposeless." Ela said pointedly. The muscles in her head were pounding with a fury, her heart even more so. The absurdity of it all was getting to her. Using Aiden as bait to trap the magister was a more dangerous plan than closing the Breach itself.

"What does the Herald feel on the matter?" Josephine asked turning to Aiden. Ela's chest tightened. She hadn't thought to ask him how he felt, not about this anyway, it was too dangerous, too risky.

"M...me?" Aiden stuttered, his eyes like saucers.

The Spymaster nodded. "You are the one our plan depends on."

Wringing his hands, her brother glanced up at her and immediately shied away. Her stomach twisted. "I don't know what we should do," Aiden said taking a deep breath, "but…I want to help them."

"I do too Aiden, but this plan is simply…impossible. There are too many risks."

"We have to though. You always say the worst thing in the world is to be a slave. Aren't the mages slaves, then, if Tevinter owns them? Shouldn't we help them?"

"I-" Ela bit her tongue. She had said that - and she'd meant it.

_Their wellbeing is not our concern._

"I did." She sighed finally. "But the burden doesn't fall on you."

Aiden considered her words quickly. "If I can help, I should. You always said that too."

"Aiden." Ela pinched the bridge of her nose. He was using her own words against her. It made her regret teaching him to be a decent person. He was growing smarter, stronger, and kinder than she had ever imagined. Shaking her head she tried again. "When your life is on the line you don't have to try and save everyone who needs it. Your life is important Aiden and not just because you're the Herald. It's important because it's yours."

"Their lives are important too." He shot back. "I know you want to keep me safe, but I want to help them. No one should be forced to do something."

She stared at him for a long time. His eyes were hard and determined, so much like her own.

_You cannot allow this! _The spirit barked. _The mages choose their fate, he will only endanger himself ._

_'Who I am to stop it?' _

"Aiden…go outside for a moment."

"Wha-"

"Go, now."

Her brother eyed her curiously, but slunk out his shoulders slumped in defeat. When the door closed with a click, she let herself take a heavy sigh and lean against the sturdy table.

"I wish I'd taught him to be more selfish," she chuckled dryly. She felt wood dig into the soft flesh of her palms. Her hair fell around her face. "This plan…it's…we're sure it's our only option to help the mages?"

She could hear Leliana shuffle her feet. "It is."

Ela took a deep breath standing upright and tossing her hair over her shoulders. "I can't lose him, you understand. I can't. If we do this, it has to be solid".

"We'll send our best with him." The Commander said stepping forward. They way he said it, so confident and sure, almost made her feel better. "He'll have you there as well."

"We can send in the troops before he even meets this Alexius. By the time they speak they'll have made it through the tunnels."

"This is madness. Pure madness." Ela whispered to herself.

"I understand your hesitation," Josephine said setting down her board. "But the Herald is capable. He can handle it."

"I know he can," Ela said, "but we don't get to choose our fates."

"No. No we don't." Leliana voiced.

"Let's work out the details. All of them. I'll sleep better that way."

They talked for another hour, working out minor kinks, developing plan after plan, just in case anything went wrong. Her fingers drummed on her side the entire while. No matter what she did, her heart felt strained and the spirit complained. Ela worked past it all. In her mind, there was no other option. If her brother was set on helping the mages in the way, then she would make it as safe for him as possible.

When they finally finished, her stomach groaned in complaint. Her last meal had been a bowl of mystery meat soup with diced potatoes and carrots earlier in the afternoon. Ela exited the Chantry to see the sun replaced with the moon and the Breach crowded by clouds. Her stomach gave another groan.

She headed to the tavern.

The wind snapped through Haven like a whip and tossed her curled mane to and fro. Too tired to fight like she usually did, she let it toss and tangle. She'd handle the aftermath later.

Shuffling into the tavern, Ela ordered a pitcher and a sandwich, found an empty table, and set to filling her stomach. All the while her brother plagued her thoughts. He was so selfless. Partially, she hated herself for teaching him to be that way.

"Drinking alone, that's not like you." Ela turned to see Sera, two pints in hand and a smile plastered on her face. "Mind if I join ya?"

"Not at all." Ela motioned for her to sit. The elf slid into the bench across from her and slid one of the pitchers to her.

"What's that look for?" Sera asked taking gulp of ale. "Did someone piss in your cup?"

Ela smiled. "Do I look that bad?"

"Not bad, never bad. Just…unhappy."

"I'm sorry, I'm not in the cheeriest of moods."

"Nonsense, you just need cheering up," Sera smiled, "and more ale."

With a wave of her hand Sera had two more pints brought, then four more, than six. Before Ela realized it, her face was hot from the alcohol and the slight buzz that had eluded her for ages could be felt at the tips of her fingers. Getting drunk was usually a chore thanks to the spirit, but today she hadn't even thought about it. Sera was either very good company, or the spirit was relaxing it's grip.

"So when he closes this thing, what's your plan?" Sera asked polishing off another pint.

Ela shrugged. "Take my men, take my brother, and go wherever there's coin."

"That's a proper plan," Sera laughed. "Coin is important."

"It is." Ela ran a finger over the rim of her pint, eyeing Sera carefully. "You've thought of what you'll do?"

"Get back to coin, to helping the little people."

"You care a lot for others," Ela said, "that's a good trait to have."

"Well yeah, can't let em be shoved around. If we help each other, than one day no one will step on anyone."

Ela hid a smile behind her hand. It was a wonderful thought. Hopeful and simple, but it was just that - a thought.

_'Ridiculous sentiment.' _The spirit commented.

Brushing a lock of stray hair from her face, she tried to sit up straight. "Have you ever thought of joining with a group?" She asked. "I'd love to have someone like you in the Suns."

Sera smirked, her eyes shining. Ela felt her throat tighten as a minute of silence fell between them.

"Oh, you've got it bad it yeah." Sera giggled finally.

Ela smirked, shying away from her gaze. "Wasn't it obvious before?"

"It was," the elf admitted, "but I didn't know you were serious."

"I'm always serious. So?"

"So, I think I'd like to know you more. I don't like to rush into things" Sera said leaning her arms on the table.

"That's better than a no, but…" Ela trailed raising her drink to her lips.

"But?"

"It doesn't exactly tell me your feelings on the matter."

"You mean on you," Sera corrected, a grin growing on her face. "You're strong, and different. I saw what you did for the refugees. That was good. Brilliant even. Plus, you're not like big people. You're happy just to have helped. I like what I've seen, but I don't know you enough." The words made her stomach flip and a warmth to crawl up her cheeks.

Nodding, Ela downed the remainder of her drink.

"You're grinning," Sera purred.

Ela stood, leaning forward on her palms. "I'm just glad to know I have a shot with one of the most beautiful women in the Inquisition." She joked.

Sera snorted, her face blooming in red. "Flatterer."

"I try my best." Standing, Ela smoothed her jerkin. "Tonight was enjoyable, but I'd best be back. Aiden will wonder where I am."

"Hmm, yeah. See ya, Ela...Ela, we'll have to do something about that." She said with heavy lidded eyes.

With her head swimming and the spirit fuming silently, Ela made her way back toward the cabin. Her face flushed with heat from both the alcohol and the conversation. Even the wind slapping across her bare face didn't lessen the heat.

Descending the steps, a body skirted around the corner and slammed into her. The impact must have been harder than she thought, because the other person stumbled backward falling on the ground. Red hair and dark vassaling emerged from under a raised hood.

The woman's eyes narrowed as she stood, pulling her cloak back around her thin frame. Ela put on her best smile. It'd been months since she had seen Evsa. After Aiden's attempted rescue she became more and more reclusive, choosing the company of the mages in Haven over the Bloody Suns.

"Evsa, it's been a while."

"Has hasn't it," the elf replied. Her blue eyes shied away from her gaze. The awkwardness between them hand't know one another long, but before there and been warmth in her eyes. "I just went to see Lilith," Evsa continued. "Aiden too. He looks well, all things considered."

"He is handling it better than most people ever could. Have you been well?" She asked, trying to be polite.

"I have."

Ela nodded rubbing at her arm. "I've noticed you don't come around too much anymore," she said carefully, "is it because of me?"

Evsa turned her head away. Her body tensed and she folded her arms, wrapping her cloak around herself more closely. It was all the answer she needed.

"I don't take offense. Everyone can't handle i-"

"You should leave, ya know." Evsa suddenly whispered, her voice low and steady. "You should leave before you hurt someone. I know you wouldn't want to, but that thing, that demon...it might make you." The smile slid from Ela's face and she could feel the spirit stir, washing away her drunkness, "Kata and Lilith could take care of Aiden, he's got the whole Inquisition. He doesn't need you anymore."

Ela let her talk. Each word washed over her like foul water and left her feeling in need of a hot bath, or at the very least a clean rag to wipe down with.

I _try to be polite and this is what I'm met with._

_'This mage is invasive,'_ the spirit growled, _'as if we'd leave the boy unprotected.'_

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. An overreaction would only cause trouble - but she couldn't let the woman be fearless. There was a line.

Smiling as prettily as she could, Ela addressed the elf's concerns. "First, it's a spirit, not a demon. It's very particular about that. If it was a demon, I wouldn't be in control. Second, Aiden would benefit more from my presence than any others. His magic and mine are alike in more ways than one." Running a hand through her hair, she caught the woman's eye.

"Let me remind you of something that you've seem to've forgotten. Every obstacle I have faced, I have overcome. Every threat to my family, I have quelled. Every person who thought it was better I die than live as I am, I have killed without hesitation - without regret. You will be no different if you stand in my way. Heh, if you even become a minor inconvenience, I won't hesitate to put you down.

"Now run along, I need my rest for tomorrow. And watch your tongue. It'd be a shame to have to rip it out."

The whites of her eyes were showing now. Ela took a half-step forward, Evsa took one back. She gave her best malicious smile, sure to show her pointy canines. People always assumed that possessed mages ate the flesh of others and it was a fear she used to her advantage. Evsa whipped around and disappeared into the moon less night.

Ela sighed when she was gone, dropping her smile. Her face hurt. Her head, even more so. It had been a long while since she had to threaten anyone in such a manner. It was a chore. She didn't like it. It wasn't her.

_'You may have made a mistake,'_ the spirit voiced. _'If she has gained friends or open ears, she may expose us. You may have provoked her.'_

_If she wishes to risk death, she may. I will not be told what to do when it concerns Aiden, not by her._

_'She may bring ruin.'_

_If she brings us ruin...I'll bring her death._

He couldn't shake it. Even with all the soldiers exercising, and the Charger's laughing ,and the chattering from the smithe, he couldn't ignore it. There was no doubt, the Herald was staring at him.

It wouldn't have been so bad, if the boy didn't try so hard to be secretive about it. He'd come from the gates behind a group of workers heading to work the stables and from there he was inching himself closer and closer.

_What could he want? _Cullen thought to himself. There was not much he and the Herald had spoken, or could speak about. Whatever the boy wanted, Cullen wished he would just come out and say it.

Turning his attention back to the troops, he did he best to ignore the prickling set of eyes on him. They better, but still not to his liking. Griffin wouldn't keep his sword up and one of Ela's trainees kept catching him on his left side. As infuriating as it was to seem him flail, he was glad at least some of his men were excelling.

Ela had done a proper job of training them. His second-in-command could learn a few things from her.

Her threw a backwards glance at the woman. She was sparring with Cassandra. Her hair was braided and tied back, a few black curls falling loose around her face. She was wearing her usual black jerkin over a tunic and leggings. He pulled his eyes away. Ela had caught him staring more than once and trying to explain it would be impossible.

The guilt was eating at him. Leliana may have considered the secrecy necessary, but he saw no point to it. He intended to respect their agreement however. It just made talking to her even harder.

"Commander," a voice whispered, "Commander Cullen, over here?" The Herald was peeking from behind a tent, his curly hair twisting round his face. Cullen let a smirk grace his face. Herald or not, he was still just a boy.

"Herald, do you need something?" He asked turning to him.

The boy glanced around, his purple eyes wide and watchful. "Is my sister looking?"

Cullen threw a glance over his shoulder. Ela and Cassandra were chattering about who knew what. "No, I don't believe she is."

"Good, I'll be quick," the Herald said moving from behind the tent, "I want to learn how to use a sword."

Cullen's brow furrowed. "Your sister could teach you, couldn't she?"

Aiden squirmed. "She could, but she won't. Ela thinks it's a waste of time."

Scratching at the back of his head, Cullen considered his limited options. Denying the Herald would mean the boy would go back to ignoring him. It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily. There wasn't much for him and the Herald to discuss. Most Inquisition business his sister took care of.

On the other hand, if his sister was refusing him, she had to have her reasons. If he decided to teach the Herald Ela could become upset with him. That wasn't something he wanted. Those purple eyes, glaring at him in-. No. He didn't need to think of that.

"I'm not sure if I should. Your sister may have good reason for refusing you." Cullen explained. The Herald's face melted into a frown. _He's thirteen. Older than most Templar trainees. _Old enough to make his own decisions surely. "But if it is what you wish to do…I will help." A smile grew on the boy's face. "We'll speak to your sister about when to-"

"No,no,no." The Herald said hurriedly. "She can't know. You don't understand, she won't let you teach me, she won't let anyone teach me."

"Why not?" Cullen asked.

"Yes, why not Aiden?"

The Herald's eyes turned to saucers and his body tensed. Ela stood to the side, her arms crossed and her eyes like daggers flicking between him and the Herald.

"Ah, Ela," Cullen said rubbing his neck, "the Herald and I were discussing-"

"I know what you were discussing." She took a step forward. "He wants you to teach him how to use a sword. It's a discussion we've had many times. And what was my answer all those times?"

The Herald shied away from her gaze.

"Aiden?"

"Master the necessary." The boy answered meekly. Cullen felt bad for him. He remembered seeing the Templars when he was a boy and how badly he wanted to be like them.

"Glad to hear my words didn't fall on deaf ears." Ela said. "It's nearly midday. Lady Montilyet will be expecting you soon."

Turning, the Herald trudged away.

Ela cleared her throat. "Aiden, manners."

With a heel twist, they boy bowed to him, uttered his pleasantries, and left.

Ela crossed her arms with a sigh. "I'm sorry about that Commander."

"It's no problem." Cullen assured turning back to his troops. Not one had stopped their exercises. "May I ask why he isn't allowed to learn?"

"You're free to, but…it's hard to explain." Ela cracked her neck. "If we weren't in such a situation I'd have no problem teaching him, but now there's to much danger. He needs to focus on his magic. That is what'll save him."

Cullen shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't hurt for him to learn. You learned both, did you not?"

"I did. It wasn't easy though. My trainer was tough, relentless even. It was life or death for me." Ela explained. "He wouldn't be able to handle it. Not like I did and he shouldn't have to."

_Life or death? _

"May I ask how you were trained?"

Ela rubbed her chin. "Again, you may, but I'd prefer if you didn't."

"I will not pry. I am sure you have nothing but good intentions for your brother."

"Good intentions," Ela chuckled, "I'm sure he doesn't see it like that."

Cullen gave a small smile. Ela was holding her chin, her eyes downcast. He couldn't imagine what she was feeling. His older sister had made that face when they were younger, when he wouldn't listen to her and ended up causing trouble.

"From what I understand children don't often see the reasons for a parent's actions." He said trying to be helpful. "Or a sisters."

Ela rubbed at her temples with a smirk. "I'm the only parent he can remember, so I suppose." She threw a glance at him, her purple eyes shining. "I doubt he'll thank me anytime soon, or you for not helping more. I'm sorry, again, for him bothering you."

"It's no bother at all," Cullen said, again. He flashed a smile. "If you two ever come to terms, I'll still be willing to help."

She hid a smile behind her hand. "Oh, we'll see. Hopefully, I can do something to make him happy." Ela pulled her braids over her shoulder. "I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow Commander."

He watched her go, the guilt returning to his stomach. He shouldn't have helped Leliana. Ela was a good person. They just needed to trust her.


	18. Chapter 18: Magisters and Demons

**Heads up there is a lot of reiteration from the game in this chapter, I just needed to set some things up easily for the next chapters. **

Aiden hit the ground hard enough to make his teeth clack. The air rushed from his lungs and when he tried to take a breath water invaded his lungs. In a panic, he threw his hands outward, struck stone, and shot upward to find freedom. His eyes flew open to find a dimly lit room of stone.

_What?_ He spun around. _Where are they?_ His heart beat increased, thumping in his throat. Broken caskets littered the room and furniture that was rotted from water and... there was huge red lyrium crystals rising from the floor. His skin went cold.

Someone sputtered and Aiden jumped, turning to see the mage Dorian at his side. The man was drenched in the stagnant water and a scowl overtook his face. A small sense of relief came over Aiden. He wasn't alone. That was at least something.

Standing, he ran his fingers through his hair and tried to clear his head. Only a few moments ago he had been in the Hall with Magister Alexius, his sister, and the Inquisition's men surrounding them. Then, there was a bright light, a pop, and he was here. Drowning in a pool of water that only came to his ankles. None of it made sense.

Aiden turned to Dorian on question on his lips, but was cut off by a two men with swords rushing into the room. They wore little armor save for helms, greaves, and boots, but the weapons they carried made them seem vicious nonetheless.

"Where did they come from?" One growled through his helm.

"Doesn't matter, kill 'em!"

Backpedaling, Aiden grabbed for his staff in the murky water, fear striking at his heart. Dorian jumped in front of him shooting flames with a quickness that Aiden envied. Taking hold of his own weapon, he placed a barrier around them both. Taking a deep breath, he ran through the motions that Solas had taught him.

Feet shoulder width apart, hold the staff at its center, breathe. Then attack. He did so by sending balls of ice at the closest man. It hit him square in the chest, knocking him onto his back. Use stronger attacks when the foe is incapacitated. Aiden conjured a bolt of lightning and fired. The man gave a blood curdling cry. Rolling he grasped for his lost sword, but Aiden sent another bolt. The man cried out again. Aiden fired another and another and another. The man seized with each strike, his gurgled screams echoing off the the stone walls. Aiden kept firing shot after shot. His heart beat thumped in his throat like a harp string. Sweat beaded on his brow.

"Herald!" Dorian shouted grasping his arm. "That's enough, he's not getting back up."

Breathing heavily, Aiden let his arms relax and started at the man, or what was left of him. He was more charcoal than flesh now. I killed him. A lump formed in his throat at the thought. I killed a person. His stomach turned. In the moment, the action had been easy, fear had racked his mind and the actions came without a thought. It was easy enough, he'd done the same thing to demons and wolves when they were in the Hinterlands, but now...now it was people. It shouldn't be so easy.

"What happened?" He asked turning away from the corpse.

"Displacement," Dorian answered quickly. "Interesting, really. It's probably not what Alexius intended. The Rift must have moved us...but to what? The closest confluence of Arcane Energy?" He asked aloud. "The last thing I remember; we were in the Castle Hall."

"Me too."

Dorian smoothed his mustached down. "Let's see if we're still in the castle, it isn't, oh of course! It isn't where - it's when!" He flashed a smile. "Alexius used the Amulet as a focus. It moved us through time!"

It felt like a rock hit his chest. "Time?" He mumbled absentmindedly. Shaking his head, Aiden tried to get out a full sentence. "Wh..what...How far?"

"That's an excellent question. We'll have to find out, won't we. Let's look around, see where the Rift took us. Then we can figure out how to get back...if we can."

_If._ Aiden took a heavy breath. If, wasn't reassuring at all. Gripping his staff tightly, he followed after Dorian careful to not look at the corpses.

They explored the lower portions quickly. There was little to find however, save for a few potions and red lyrium crystals. The entire place seemed to be poxed with them. Some were bigger than the ones he had seen at the Conclave. Their red glow made him uneasy and he hoped that as they moved further up there would be less of them.

"Are you alright?" Dorian asked as they entered another empty room.

Aiden nodded, unable to find his voice.

"You don't look to well. Are you feeling sick, or was it," the man paused seeming to search for the right words, "...the men earlier?"

Aiden's stomach tightened again. He was trying to push it out of his head.

Dorian's eyebrows rose in understanding. "Oh, you've never had to-"

"No," Aiden answered quickly. "The others always took care of that." He had never thought about how it would make him feel. Watching Ela wasn't hard, she only killed to keep him safe. It was justified. He always thought it was easy, but now, with his stomach like a stone and his mind still echoing the man's screams, he couldn't understand how people did it.

"I'm not sure what to say," Dorian admitted sadly. "It doesn't get any easier, but you'll learn how to cope with it. I'm sorry. That must sound terrible."

Aiden shrugged, suppressing his disgust. "It's fine, I had to eventually. Can we just keep going?"

Dorian nodded and began forward again before stopping. "Are you sure you'll be okay? If we have to fight again?"

"I don't have a choice," he muttered quietly.

They headed up a set of stairs, Dorian leading the way. Aiden wished silently that they wouldn't have to fight again, but his prayers proved fruitless as they entered the next floor. A group of soldiers were there, swords in hand, with a mage behind them.

Ignoring the twisting of his stomach, he grabbed his staff and fought. Mindlessly, he erected a barrier, cast traps around him, and attacked the nearest soldier. When they screamed and choked on their own blood, he ignored them, when they charged forward swords raised, he side stepped like Ela taught him and cast protective spells while backing away. Every spell he cast, every step he took, every life he snatched, he did so mindlessly. Forcing it from his head. He needed to survive. That was what his sister would want.

When it was over, his clothing was splattered with blood and his heart felt heavy. A cut throbbed on his shoulder. His own warm blood soaking through his armor.

_It isn't going to be easy._ Ela had said that ages ago and now it was ringing in his head along with those echoing screams.

He followed Dorian quietly, through room after room, collecting his thoughts and controlling his nerves. His sister wouldn't want him to give up now, not after all the work that still needed to be done. They descended a flight of stairs and found another level of cells. It seemed pointless to search through each one, but he followed after the older mage without complaint.

"Nintey-nine bottles of..."

"Did you hear that?" Aiden asked Dorian as the man riffled through a trunk.

"No, what-"

"Nintey-eight bottles of beer,"

"Is that...singing?" Dorian stood and shuffled out of the room, Aiden followed close at his heels.

Readying their staffs, they burst into the next room to find the Iron Bull in a cell filled with red lyrium crystals. He was leaning against the wall singing softly.

"You're not dead." Bull groaned standing. "You're supposed to be dead. There was a burn on the ground and everything." They opened the cell door.

Dorian shook his head. "We weren't killed," he explained. "Alexius sent us through time. This is our future."

"Ah, damned magic. Well this is my present and in the past I defiantly saw you both die."

"You don't look well." Aiden said carefully. Bull seemed to radiate with a red glow, his eyes even more so.

Bull scoffed as he left the cell. "It's red lyrium. Surprised it hasn't killed me yet."

Dorian ignored him moving to the door. "We need to get moving and find Alexius."

"Why? So we can die, see what other tricks he's learned? I'd rather not."

"No so we can get back and stop Alexius from causing all this from happening." Dorian snapped.

"It's not Alexius you need to worry about. It's his Elder One," Bull explained, "and your sister." His eye fell on Aiden.

"What do you mean?" Aiden asked his stomach clenching.

"The Elder One killed the Empress of Orlais and then used the confusion to attack the south with a demon army and your sister at its head." Bull shook his head. "You ever fought a demon army? I don't recommend it."

It was Dorian's turn to shake his head. "That doesn't make any sense, why would Ela help the Elder One?"

Bull chuckled dryly. "I didn't exactly have time to ask her while I was fighting for my life. All I know is she's a demon and when you died," he said turning to Aiden, "she left us and joined them."

"Ela's betrayed the Inquisition?" Dorian gasped.

"Oh, you don't know," Bull grinned, his red eye sharpening. "Ela is a mage and, best part, she's possessed by a demon. Don't ask me how she hid it, but she was always one from what I can tell."

Dorian turned on Aiden, his eyes wide. "Is it true?"

Aiden nodded slowly. "But I don't know why she would help the Elder One." He told them. _Unless the spirit made her._ "It's not like that," he tried to explain. His thoughts were hard to organize and he found himself struggling for words. "I…it's not a demon. It's a spirt and she didn't want to hide it, she has to. Or…or you'd all kill her."

The older man's lips pursed and his brow furrowed. Aiden felt himself shrink inward. The man was angry no doubt, everyone was when they found out.

"That doesn't matter right now," Dorian said finally. "If we can get back, none of this will happen and we can stop this Elder One."

Bull gave a harumph. "If it means I get to kill something, I'll help."

Aiden felt the prickle of fear in his back. His sister was working for the Elder One, or the demon inside her was. If she thought he was dead, she wouldn't have given up…would she? He shook his head. They'd fix it. They had to.

They found Bull a rusted great sword and went back to searching through the castle. The next cells they came across they searched more eagerly, until they found Sera. The elf looked a mess and the cocky smirk she usually wore was replaced by a look of terror.

"No,no,no, you can't be here. You're dead and they don't come back." She sobbed backing against a red lyrium crystal.

"I'm not dead," Aiden said quickly. "It's alright."

"Oh, for the love of- no one is dead. Alexius used time magic." Dorian explained opening her cell.

"Talk sense, or shut it." She snapped. "I can't think about him." Sera slid a hand over her face wiping away a few stray tears.

"We're going to stop this from happening." Aiden said trying to calm her. "We can get you out of here. Does that help?"

"A bit, sort of. But Ela, the day you died." Sera narrowed her eyes. "Are you like her? Are you a demon? I shouldn't have trusted her, but I did. I won't make the mistake again."

Aiden clenched his fists. "I'm not a demon and she isn't either!" He snapped. "If you help us none of this will happen. Then Ela, Ela won't be like she is."

Sera wrung her hands. "You were gone and she was hurt…I ran out of arrows making them pay. But there all demons and gods and, I just had a bow." She gave a soft sniffle and inched forward. "I want them to hurt."

"Then let's go," Dorian said striding out. Sera gave a nod and followed.

They weaved in and out of cells, searching for a way to open the drawbridge. It was beginning to seem fruitless.

"Do you think you'll be able to stop her?" Sera asked as they descended another set of stairs. "You know, from becoming a demon?"

Aiden swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat. "I do," he said confidently.

"Good." Sera whispered. "She wasn't happy like that."

The stairs led to another hall of cells and they combed through each one. Red lyrium crystals broke through every crack from the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. He stepped past them carefully, peering into each cell looking for familiar faces.

"You…you're alive? How?" Someone croaked. Aiden froze and stared through the red lyrium glow. He couldn't see anyone. "I saw you disappear…into the Rift." There was a shift of movement and his eyes focused on Fiona, half-engulfed by a red lyrium crystal.

"Fiona, what happened to you?!"

"Red lyrium it's a disease." The woman groaned. "The longer you're near it, eventually you become this. Then they mine your corpse for more."

"How long have you been here?" Dorian asked shouldering his way next to him. "It's imperative."

Fiona nodded. "Harvestmere…9:42 Dragon."

"We've missed an entire year." Dorian gasped.

"You must beware. Alexius serves the Elder One…he is more powerful than even the Maker." Fiona sighed. "No one challenges him and lives."

"Don't worry we'll stop this from ever happening," Dorian promised. "We have a plan to fix it."

Fiona frowned, her eyes glazing over. "I hope you succeed. Your spymaster, Leliana. She is here. Find her, she will help you."

Aiden nodded. "Thank you, Fiona."

"May the Maker walk with you." The woman prayed resting her head back against the stone.

"If Leliana is here than we may have a better shot at finding Alexius." Bull said opening the door.

"We don't need Alexius exactly, more the amulet he used to send us here." Dorian explained quickly. "I think I may be able to send us back, if I have that."

"Then let's find it." Sera bounded up the stairs, her face pulled into a frown. Aiden followed after his stomach heavy as stone.

More soldiers and mages plagued their path, but with four instead of two they made quick work of them all. Aiden moved himself to the back and focused on keeping a barrier on all of them and the other mages distracted. Still, his nerves tensed with every scream.

Managing to find the switches that lowered the bridge, they finally moved upward. To his dismay, the red lyrium was still present. The corridors were narrow and littered with debris as if they hadn't been cared for in months. It was odd to see the castle in such shape. When they'd arrived it had been pristine with carvings of dogs on the mantles and statues of nobles, and statues of more dogs. Now it was almost unrecognizable.

The halls were so deteriorated and maze-like he was sure that finding the spymaster would be impossible. That is until he heard her screams.

Someone was torturing her, trying to force her to proclaim the Elder One as a God. They rushed to the source of the screams to find her bound by her hands and a man with a metal apparatus in hand. Bull drew his sword, Sera notched an arrow, but they were beat by Leliana who snapped the man's neck with her legs.

Though the woman wore the same hood outfit and her hair was still red as any other day, she was changed. Her face was sunken and bony, her eyes hard and angry. Her cheek bones protruded more obviously and the glow she normally had was gone replaced with a grey tone. Her manner was even more different. When she spoke she did so quickly and sharply. Her tone was low and hard, but worse, when she looked at him her eyes burned with hatred.

From the moment they freed her, he avoided her gaze. The Spymaster did not seem to mind she only addressed Dorian and the others. The woman radiated anger and he was happy to stay out go her way.

_We'll find the amulet and go back. Then none of this will happen._ He told himself. _Ela will be normal. Kata will be there too. We'll close the Rift. It'll be okay. It'll all be okay._

Moving through the Castle, they encountered more soldiers and Rifts. Aiden thought that would be the worst of it. A handful of enemies was nothing for the five of them. It wasn't until they reached the courtyard that he realized how bad it had been. The Breach was everywhere. It was all green. Like the fade, but…worse. Rocks floated, the air was thick, and his magic felt near unstable. The Veil was nearly nonexistent.

Looking at it all, he felt his chest pang. The reality of it all sank in. If he failed to close the Breach everything, everywhere would be like this. He wiped at his brow.

_I need Ela._

The Castle Hall was just as bad as the rest of the building. Stones littered the floor, red lyrium broke through floor and roof alike, and a Rift sat in the middle of the hall spitting out demon after demon. Bull grumbled in distaste at the sight and Sera cringed. They fought nonetheless.

After clearing the area, they found a door, a massive stone monstrosity that sat between them and where they assumed Alexius would be. Aiden gave a groan. They were so close.

"I know what this is," Dorian said with an inquisitive tone, "It's magically sealed, it can only be opened with a jewel that fits, right here." He pointed at the aforementioned groove. "If we find that we'll have our way in."

"You sure there's no other way?" Bull asked.

"Unless you can down a ton of magic enforced stone, then yes I'm sure."

Turning back, they moved through the other corridors with haste. They found more mages, demons, and red lyrium soldiers. More than that they found more questions. Redcliffe seemed to have no real purpose, no real reason for the people to still be there. Aiden wondered why Alexius would choose to stay in such a run down excuse for a manor.

Soon enough, they found enough pieces to assemble a full jewel. They snapped together like the black metal pieces Ela had bought him as a child. Without hesitation they rushed back to the door.

Dorian placed the jewel into the crevice gingerly and with an odd pulse, it sighed open to reveal the inner Hall. The furnishings and tapestries were gone and only a chair sat at the front of the hall. Alexius stood with his back turned, his head bowed, and face drawn tight. Felix kneeled at his side, dirt and thin. The Blight seemed to be etched into every crevice of his face.

When he spoke his voice was laden with sorrow. It almost seemed like he regretted his actions, regretted what he had allowed the world to turn in to. Aiden listened carefully hoping there was something he could use to get the man to comply with them. Anything.

That's when Leliana grabbed Felix and held a knife against his throat. It would have been enough to get the magister to comply, to give them the amulet, but with a snarl Leliana slit the boy's throat and Alexius face twisted in anger.

"No, Alexius don't!" Dorian yelled, but it was too late. The magister slammed his staff to the ground erecting a barrier and creating a Rift in the middle of the Hall. Aiden rushed behind Bull readying himself for a fight

A terror demon was spat from the Rift and gave a screech and shades bubbled up from the floor.

"Protect the Herald!" Sera yelled notching an arrow.

Aiden cast a barrier over them. Swinging his staff, place a fire mine to his right and turned to the terror demon who was leaking its toxic gas across the Hall.

Bull charged toward it, hefting his great sword overhead and bringing it down on the demon's spindly leg. It gave a throaty cry. Bull laughed and swung again, effectively removing its arm. The demon backpedaled, swinging with its razor claws to keep him away.

Sera meanwhile, held the shades back with Dorian's help. The two fired in harmony, careful not to give the dreaded things an opening. Aiden joined them, sending balls of ice rocketing toward them.

When the demons were cleared, Alexius dropped his barrier and descended upon them. His attacks were relentless and fury filled, but sloppy. Aiden dropped another barrier over them and dashed behind a pillar as projectiles flew past.

Aiden saw Bull rush forward, Sera behind him firing arrow after arrow. Leliana lept forward and sent an arrow through his leg. Alexius spat a curse and twisted around firing at her with a sneer across his face.

Dashing forward, Aiden sent out a barrage of spells toward the man. They did little but disintegrate against his barrier, but it was enough to pull his attention away. It was exactly what he had hoped for. Bull got behind him and brought his sword down on Alexius' arm. It went clean through.

Blood and flesh plopped onto the stone floor and Alexius fell to the floor with a scream. The man turned to Bull, a sneer across his face, when an arrow sunk into his eye socket. Aiden jerked his gaze away.

Dorian's soft footsteps echoed off the suddenly silent room. "I didn't want it to end this way," he said yanking the amulet from Alexius' neck.

"He deserved this." Leliana growled, glaring down at him. "And he isn't the only one."

Dorian ushered him up to the dais. Aiden moved to him, planting his staff back on his back. His boots squished and slid in the layer of blood and slime that covered the ground and he was careful not to lose his balance.

"This is where Alexius cast the spell and this is where we'll go back." He explained wrapping his magic around the amulet.

Leliana nodded. "Good." A clatter sounded from outside the door. "You have to get back and end this before it begins." Aiden nodded avoiding her gaze. Another bang sounded from outside. Bull and Sera uttered their goodbyes and ran out, shutting the door behind them. Leliana grasped his arm tightly. "Truly listen to me. Your sister, she can't go to him. If she does she'll kill us all."

"What?" Aiden took a step forward.

"Leliana let him go, he has to stay by me for this to work."

"The Elder One wants you both," Liliana continued dropping his arm. "He knew about your sister and he took her and he used her to get to us."

"How?" Aiden asked.

Leliana shook her head. "I don't know. When you died it all went downhill. I didn't have time to keep track of her. There was to much to do."

Aiden gritted his teeth inching forward. "Leliana I have to know how, so I can stop it."

Something thudded against the door with enough force to make them all look up.

"I don't know." Leliana said drawing her bow. "But you have to stop it."

The doors shook again.

"Keep the Elder One away from you both."

With a deafening thud, the doors crashed open. Terror demons, rage demons, and shades slunk inside alongside soldiers garbed in red and black armor, but only one figure stood out to him. With short raven hair and eyes all purple his sister strolled into the room a cruel smile on her face as she threw Bull's unmoving body to the ground. Except it wasn't her.

The veins around her eyes glowed an iridescent purple that mirrored cracks on porcelain. Her walk was to arrogant and sure. It was a demon in his sister's skin - and the demon held a red lyrium sword.

Aiden felt the breath leave him. It was true, everything the others had said was true. He felt his legs shake.

"Aiden, stay by me!" Dorian cried.

It was enough to get his attention. He hadn't even realized he'd been walking toward her. Skirting backward Aiden grasped his staff. Ela's lips pulled into a smile at the sight of him. She moved forward slowly swinging the sword in an arch that cut the air with a hiss. Her lips pulled apart and then there was only black.

**So Ela's working for The Elder One, Dorian now knows she is possessed, and Ela's left in a world without Aiden. Oh, the drama.**

**I'm considering inserting a chapter about what happened to Ela while Aiden was gone, but I'm not sure yet. Drop a comment if you'd like to see it and I'll go ahead and post it. Your comments are my nourishment for writing**!

*****Fixed some typos*****


	19. Chapter 19: A Year

**_I churned this chapter out pretty quickly since I had someone request it. I tried to do little snapshots to give a somewhat full picture of what all happened without just blatantly saying it. Wanted to try something new._**

**_I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it!_**

* * *

_He's gone._ It was all she thought for weeks. After Bull held her back from killing Alexius, when they urged her to rest, when Cullen and Cassandra begged her to stay. Their voices were heavy with sympathy and sorrow as she packed a horse and left, Kata in tow. That had been one of the harder days. Varric was one of the few who was willing to say good bye. Others had shunned her, upset that she was giving up, even Lilith. But what was there left for her to do? Aiden was gone and with him, her will had left as well.

Kata had been understanding at first - helpful even. But after she had drowned herself in liquor and bodies at the third tavern he had grown distant. Then when she stopped meditating, distant turned to angry and he began leaving, coming back after a few hours, then days, then weeks. She didn't care. Not at first anyway.

When she found him sending messages to the Inquisition about their whereabouts, her feelings changed. She didn't say anything to him though. She let him write his letters. Give them false hope that she would return. When he asked her to come back, she agreed and while he slept that night she left. Leaving only a note with a two word apology. It hadn't even hurt. It _should_ have hurt.

For ages Kata had been her only companion. The only person she could trust. Yet, in a mere matter of months she had left him without even a second thought.

The spirit was company enough. It soothed her. Helped her grow drunk from wine and women and men. Helped alleviate the pain that constantly stabbed at her. It understood, because it felt it too. The pain wasn't natural. It started as a prick from the Veil, only to grow with time. A prick turned into a stab and a stab morphed into an all encompassing urge to alight with fire.

While the sensation was impossible to ignore, dulling it was just a matter of drowning herself in other sensations. Namely, killing and drinking. Those two worked the best. Sex was a close third, it was easy to obtain, but it's effects only lasted so long.

_Just need to take the edge off. _Ela thought sliding a satchel of coins to the blonde across from her. The woman's painted lips slid into a coy smile and she pawed at the bag. Ela let herself sink into her seat as the woman slid next to her. She smelled of elderflower and her hands were soft as they slid across her legs.

"I didn't expect to find you like this," someone said sliding into a chair. Ela looked up from the women's chest a scowl on her face to find a man clad in leather armor. His black hair was pulled back into a tight bun and sharp eyes peaked at her from under heavy brows. "Alesana Trevelyan, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Ela wrapped an arm around the woman and pulled her into her lap. "It is less of a pleasure to meet you. Especially here and now, when this lovely lady was about to give me a tour." She planted a kiss on the woman's neck. "Besides I don't even know you. It's rude to sit with someone without first introducing yourself."

The man gave a toothy grin. "You may call me Davin and you have my sincerest apologies for not first introducing myself." Davin ran a hand over his beard. "My lady would you mind giving us a moment alone. I have traveled long to talk with her." With golden flecked eyes, the woman glared at Davin and stayed put. Ela sighed and gave her an encouraging pat. Grunting, the woman sauntered up the stairs, satchel of coins in hand.

"I doubt I will see her, or those coins again." Ela said motioning to the barkeep for another round.

Davin chuckled. "I will make it up to you, in coin, or another manner if you prefer."

"Hmmm, I'd first hear what it is you need to talk to me of." Ela grinned.

The man nodded as the barkeep dropped off two more pints and limped away. "I have some information I think you would like. Information on ending that curse you suffer from."

Her eyes narrowed. He looked at her from over his cup with a coy expression that she wanted to swipe from his face. It would be easy enough.

_'If you kill him, we'll never find out what it is. This arrangement has grown uncomfortable for the both of us.'_

"What do you know of my problems?" She asked placing a hand on her thigh, close to her dagger. "And how?"

"More than you do for certain. And from a man, a very old and very particular man."

"Then tell me then."

"This isn't the best place for such a discussion." Davin stood and collected their cups. "You have a room yes?" Ela gave a sneer, but stood and ushered the man upstairs. The room was sparse and drafty, but it was enough to sleep comfortably, among other things. Passing her cup back, he took a seat.

Ela took a long draw and sat on her bed. "So what information do you have for me?"

"You don't care to know how I know I found you?"

"No, you talk and then you leave."

Giving a chuckle, the man sipped from his mug. "If you insist…but first, you and this spirit have been bound since you developed magic, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then it has had no connection with the fade."

_'None.'_

"None."

"Good, then this may work for you." Davin stood, pulled a scroll from his pocket and held it out to her. Before she could reach it, it slipped from his hand and it rolled beneath her feet. "My apologies." Scuffing, Ela reached for it and her legs seemed to melt beneath her.

"What?" She gasped, pushing against the floor with weakened arms.

_What is this?_

_'A poison.' _The spirit said hurriedly. _'I can't stop it.'_

"Forgive me, but I knew you wouldn't come easily." With a foot, Davin tossed her onto her back. Her head began to pound. "It won't hurt, but I can't promise when you wake up you'll be too comfortable."

Gritting her teeth she tried to stand, to force her arms and legs to obey. Everything seemed to swim before her in a mess of colors and her arms shook as she pushed against the floor. Desperate to get up. In the end, just like everything else, they gave out.

When she woke, it was in an empty room. Her head still spun and she found it impossible to stand. It felt like ages before someone came, but when they did, they brought pain and fear. Every time it was the same man with slicked back hair and narrow beady eyes. He forced her to eat and drink things she couldn't name, things that made her body burn and her stomach turn.

The first few times she cried, and screamed, and begged. It did not help. After the fifth time she stopped fighting, stopped crying, stopped hoping. Wherever she was no one could hear her, and if they did, they did not care to help.

When she stopped reacting, a voice began to invade her head. Its words wormed into her mind. Her mind was its play thing and neither she, nor the spirit, could do anything to stop it. Finding every secret, every doubt, every lie. The voice used it all against her. It promised to end the pain, to help her overcome, to be free. For a long time she knew it was a lie, but it only grew sweeter with time.

**"Let me help you," **the voice said. **"You need to free yourself. I see your ties. The ties that connect you to the others." **It echoed around her piercing her brain. **"These ties can be cut. You want to be rid of them, I can see it."**

_'Rid them, cut them'_

**"You won't be bound anymore. You'll both be free."'**

"Free?" Ela whispered struggling.

**"You only need to do one thing."**

_'One thing.'_

_One thing._

A door opened somewhere and heavy foot falls sounded. Her heart beat speed up. **"Cut the tie." **Her legs moved and she stood. A familiar face stood in front of her, with twisted black locks and sharp eyes. Something heavy was clutched in her hand, the hilt of a blade.

**"Cut the tie." **

Magic pulled and pushed at her. One force trying to stop the motion of her hand, the other forcing it.

"I can't," she groaned. Her arm burned, but she couldn't scream. Couldn't stop it. The blade slid across the woman's throat creating a deep red line. She stood motionless and silent as her flesh split and her lifeblood ran down her neck.

The magic around her sizzled violently, then dissipated. Her pounding head cleared and the spirit shook.

**"You're finally free."**

_'Free.'_

_Free._

"We are free."

* * *

Three months. That's how long she had been gone. Three months with no word, no letters. Kata had kept them updated at first, but when she even left him it was impossible to find her.

Until she turned up in his tent one night. She was leaning against his make shift desk, her raven hair tossed over a shoulder. When he entered she turned to him, teasing at a curl, distress written across her lovely face. The smell of her engulfed the tent, honey and lilac, soft and calming.

When she tried to speak, she broke into a sob. It had shocked him, to see her so broken, so afraid. Her body shook with each silent sob and he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her. That had been the first night. After he finally calmed her, he did his best to try and figure out why she had returned and when. No one had given him word of anything, but when she told him that she hadn't told anyone, his suspicions rose.

"Why not?" He had asked. "Kata would surely be glad to see you've returned."

"I can't, not yet." Ela told wiping away stray tears. "I didn't exactly leave on good terms with anyone."

Cullen scratched at the back of his head. "Not everyone, I understand why you left. Losing your brother...it must have been hard."

Ela nodded her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "It was...I didn't know how to handle it. I shouldn't have left."

He hated seeing her this way. Unsure and afraid. His stomach twisted in knots at the sound of her broken voice. Tentatively, he placed a hand on her arm. "I know it doesn't mean much now, but I wish I could have been their for you. You shouldn't have been alone."

A sad smile graced her lips and she glanced up at him with her dazzling eyes. She took a step forward, placing a hand on his armored chest. Even through the layers of cloth and metal it felt good. "Thank you, Cullen," she purred. "I'm…I'm glad you understand."

Her purple eyes met his and his body grew hot. Even though they hadn't been close, he'd missed her. Missed her barking orders at the men, missed watching her gaze into the distance lost in thought, missed the way she laughed with her men.

Before he could stop himself, he was leaning down. Her lips parted in a gasp as he closed the distance between them and kissed her lightly, carefully, unsure if she would accept his approach. She did, eagerly so.

Each kiss and nip left his body alight. She tasted perfect, like home - like lyrium. When she pulled away, he struggled to catch his breath. His senses returning to him, he apologized quickly, afraid of what the woman would think of him.

Ela pulled away from him, covering her lips with her hand. "I should go," she said quietly skirting past him.

It was less of a surprise when she turned up the next night and the night after that and after that. Each time, he found himself overtaken with a need for her and each time they went further and further. Everyday he yearned for her, his mind overtaken with images of her, lips parted, hair strewn about his pillows, her breasts soft in his hands.

It was all he wanted. But his body needed more. The lyrium withdrawal was beginning to take its toll. His headaches worsened, his reflexes were slower. Cassandra assured him he could pull through it, overcome and be a symbol for others, but what did that matter if he couldn't fight alongside them from the pain.

Ela helped. She understood. When he told her off his struggles, she wrapped him in an embrace and told him to take it again. _Take it for the Inquisition. Take it for me. _He'd complied happily. They agreed to hid his use and Ela helped him. She stole the supplies, the lyrium, even helped him inject it. Anything he needed, she did for him, and he in turn.

* * *

Everything was a mess. Celine was dead, assassinated in her own palace. A demon army was attacking them from the south. It was all a disaster.

Cassandra struggled to calm herself. They had were holding out, but barely so. Half their men were either dead, or grievously injured. The Iron Bull, Cullen, and her were the only ones left to give the other men orders. All the lieutenants and captains had been killed, or captured. No matter what move they made The Elder One seemed to know before hand. His charges didn't even bother to wipe them all out, just the ones in charge, the ones receiving the orders.

A pit formed in her stomach. It could have been magic, or worse, a spy. None of it made sense.

A clatter sounded. "Lady Cassandra! They've crested the hill!"

Turning away from her maps, she rushed forward, drawing her sword. Their position was supposed to have been under guard, they had scouts in place, she had taken every measure to ensure their safety. Skirting past tents and men she came to see a horde of demons inching down the western hill.

Soldiers rushed past her, readying weapons, filling carts, and helping the injured move to the back. There was no where else for them to run, no where else to hide. So she drew her sword and ordered them to fight. A few looked at her in shock, but they collected themselves and charged forward at her side.

The clash between the two forces was deafening. Between screeches and the clang of metal it was obvious that they were outnumbered. Soldiers fell all around her, their blood staining the ground.

_I will not let them deaths be in vain. _Cassandra charged forward, burying her sword in a terror demon. _I will not give up. I will fight to the bitter end. _A ball of fire whizzed by her face. A stray sword fell at her feet. A man grabbed a her ankle, begging her to take him home. She fought through it all. Afraid of what would happen if she lost focus on the fight in front of her.

Sliding behind her shield, a terror demon slammed into her making her jerk backward. Cassandra struggled to stay a foot as it's talons wrapped around her shield, slicing at her face. Her foot dug into the soft ground…and she fell. Pushing backward, she struggled to get up as the terror demon snapped it's jaw and launched at her.

Clenching her eyes shut, Cassandra waited for the blow. It didn't come. Instead a thud sounded at her side and she opened her eyes to see Cullen standing above her. His face was set in a hard grimace as he shoved aside a shade.

"Get up!" He shouted fighting back a shade. She did so quickly, snatching up her sword to help the Commander fight off the demons.

Her mind reeled all the while. _It doesn't make any sense, Cullen was supposed to be with his forces to the east and Bull to the north. We were going to push them into each other, have them fighting from all sides._

Pain lanced through her arm and she bit back a groan as she kicked aside an enemy. A man clad in red armor sneered at her and raised his great sword. It glowed red and crackled warming the air around them. Then he stopped.

They all stopped.

Cassandra jerked backward, placing her sword in front of her. Her eyes raked across them all as they stepped backward. Even the man who was still glaring at her, his hand flexing around his sword, stepped backward. They parted slowly and a familiar face stepped from the crowd.

"Cassandra," Ela smiled her eyes alight with a purple glow, "it's been too long." The woman crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on one of the demons.

"Ela?" Cassandra felt her stomach draw into knots. "No, you can't be."

"Oh, it's me and I have an offer for you?" She said striding forward. "Put the sword down and I'll let you live."

Cassandra shuffled backward, her eyes narrowing. "That isn't going to happen," she growled clutching the sword even tighter.

Ela tsked and ran a hand through her hair. "Look around, you're already dead. Your men too. But if you listen to me, I'll get rid of all that pain."

"Never!" Cassandra snapped.

"Huh, I should have guessed." Ela sighed. "Cullen would-"

"Neither of us will ever surrender to you!" She shouted readying her sword. "We would rather…" Pain shot through her body. Her sword fell from her hands. Ela strode forward, a toothy grin on her face.

Cassandra glanced down at her stomach to see a silverite sword through her abdomen. She coughed and blood splattered her chest. Falling to the ground, she turned praying to the Maker that it wasn't true.

Behind her, Cullen stood stoic, his eyes as red as the blood on his sword.

"Why?" She croaked grasping at her stomach. _WHY?! _Ela moved to his side and traced his jaw with a finger.

"You did good," Ela purred.

"Cullen, WHY?!" His gaze fell on her and her blood ran cold as he smirked, grasping Ela's waist with his free hand.

"Why not?" And that was the last thing she heard.

* * *

_**Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you think!**_


	20. Chapter 20: Family

_**I added two chapters this time. Enjoy!**_

_**An unpleasant surprise greets Ela at Haven.**_

* * *

"Can you trust him?" Kata asked crossing his arms. He was talking about Dorian. In whatever future he and Aiden had seen the mage had found out her secret and he wasn't exactly happy.

Ela shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice. He knows what he knows. Whatever happened in that future can't be undone." She nibbled at her lip. "It's my own fault."

Kata scuffed, his nostrils flaring. "You didn't reveal yourself. The Bull and the others did. You are not to blame." Ela rubbed at her head. The entire situation was a mess. Aiden had come back alive and well enough, but he was quieter than usual and she had the sense that he was hiding something from her - him and Dorian. The mage knew about the spirit and while he promised to wait for an explanation, she doubted that it would make much of a difference. Whatever had happened there, had changed them both in some ways.

"Aren't I though?" She asked. "Aiden told me what that world was like. The Breach everywhere, everyone dead, or captured. But they said I ran off. That I never came back."

Kata grunted tearing his crimson eyes away from her. "Do not dwell on it. You can change nothing he saw."

"Thanks," she sighed sadly.

_'He isn't wrong.' _The spirit said calmly. _'You have no idea what that time was like, what may have happened to you.'_

She bristled at its input. At Redcliffe when Aiden had disappeared the spirit had almost taken control. Her head was still recovering from the pounding headache that had caused. It was sheer luck that Bull caught her before she buried her sword in the Magestier and a sheer miracle that Aiden had reappeared.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter anymore though," she said smiling, "we're close to ending this. Then we can get back to real work."

"To hiding, you mean." Kata corrected glancing at her.

"Hiding, working, two in the same for us."

He shrugged.

Passing through the gates, Haven came to life in front of them. Soldiers, Chantry sisters, and workers all scrambled about a renewed vigor in their step. As much as she hated being in their temporary home, it caused a sense of ease to overcome her. A warm bed and a hot meal was just what she needed.

"When it's over we should leave straight away. They'll be to busy celebrating to notice." Kata said.

"Too busy celebrating Aiden. They'll notice if he's gone. Better to do it at night." She whispered back, pulling her hair loose from it's bands. "We'll gather food and water, grab a couple horses, leave a few coins and -." Her breath caught in her chest.

"Kadan?"

Ela's eyes focused on the banner that flapped from a long pole.

_'Run.'_

A field of green.

_'Go now.'_

With a black stallion.

_'Ela, you have to leave!'_

She took a shallow breath. It had been ages since she'd seen that heraldry.

"Kadan, what's wrong?" His hands were wrapped around her arm, pulling her closer.

_'He'll kill you. He'll kill you both.'_

"We have to go," she heard herself say, distant and hollow. "They've found us." Kata glanced at the flapping banner and gave a growl. "Aiden." Ela jerked away and raced toward her brother. He was conferring with Solas a frown still about his face. Grabbing him about the shoulders, she whirled him around.

"Ela what a-"

"Aiden I need you to go to the cabin and wait for me." She ordered quickly.

"But we-"

"I fear our disagreements," she said. Aiden's eyes narrowed.

"Will cause a great vehement," he answered slowly. Nodding his head, he said no more and headed for the cabin.

_'You should be leaving!'_

_I can't,_ she thought, _not anymore. If either of them found us the Inquisition is the best place for Aiden. They'll protect him._

_'But not you.'_

_I don't matter. _Moving to the Chantry, Lilith and Kata rejoined her.

"I saw at least three armored men go into the council room." Lilith whispered leaning against the stone wall nonchalantly. "There might have been more though. I wasn't counting. I thought it was just another noble."

Ela nodded. "They may still be armed, then." She pulled her hair back into a tail. I can handle them at the least. They shouldn't be expecting me, we're early after all. Stay with Aiden, please.

Lilith gave a nod. "I'll be ready when you need me."

"Good," Ela moved to the Chantry door, her mind reeling. _If they found us then it means the others can too._

_'Yes, but how did they find you?'_

She froze, the doors held open, realization dawning on her. Only one of her's could have helped them. "Kata."

"Yes?"

"Fetch Evsa."

"I would rather stay with you."

"Now's not the time for disagreement," she hissed marching forward. "You can join me after you make sure she isn't going anywhere."

_'If it is him, we cannot kill him.'_

_We aren't going to. Kata is._

_'The Qunari? But-'_

_He knows. Hush, now. I can't think with your chattering. Just lend me your strength. _Collecting her nerves and readying herself, she swung the door open.

The first face was a familiar one. Black hair and a hooked nose with a crooked scar, Corban. One of Bann Trevelyan's banner men. He was in front of the door. Pitch black eyes laid on her and a shiver went down her spine.

The door clicked shut.

Corban's face twisted into a sneer. He turned leaning toward her, murder in his eyes. She flicked her wrist and his face was plastered against the stone wall.

"Ela!"

She didn't answer. Instead, she turned to the two men standing in the corner and with a hand raise, forced them to their knees.

"What are you doing?" Josephine gasped.

"They're fine," she announced eyeing them carefully. Cullen and Josephine at least the dignity to look guilty. Leliana had her arms folded behind her back and a serious expression on her face. Cassandra was there too, her face set as stone. It hurt. All of it hurt. She'd trusted them.

A figure moved to her left. She readied her magic.

"Alesana!"

A crop of black tresses obscured her view as the woman pulled her into an embrace. She reeked of the stenches of travel, horse and smoked meat. Ela returned the hug carefully. It was hard to believe that the arms around her were real. That her sister was actually there.

Pulling apart, brown eyes met purple ones and she couldn't help but smile. All those years and they still looked the same. Same nose, same mouth, same stupid dimple.

"It's been to long," Ela said meekly.

Juliana's eyes narrowed. "You stopped writing me," she snapped, "No explanation, no apology. Nothing!" Her twin crossed her arms. "I deserved better."

"You do," Ela chuckled, "Sadly, I'm all you have." Juliana gave smirk as her expression softened.

"You bitch," Cordan spat from the wall. He was fighting to lift himself from the stone to little effect. Ela's eyes narrowed as she watched him. Patting her sister's back, she turned her gaze to the others, pulling her face into a frown.

"May I ask what you four are doing with my sister?"

Leliana crossed her arms. "We did not force her here, if that is what you are insinuating." The woman said. "Lady Ringlen and I have been in contact for some time."

"What for?"

"For information," Leliana said narrowing her eyes. "And we were right to do so _Mistress_ Trevelyan."

Ela bit her lip. "What did you tell them?" She asked her sister quickly.

Juliana shook her head. "Nothing, but Corban..." She struggled to find the words.

"I told 'em everything," the man laughed, still struggling. Flexing her palm she increased the pressure on him.

"Alesana Trevelyan the third child to Bann Trevelyan, died at age six, but here you are." Leliana drawled. "And not only are you alive and a mage, but you're abomination - or so they would have us believe."

_'You need to go.'_

She shuffled backward unconsciously, her chest tightening in panic. Her eyes clenched shut as she calmed the spirit. "I am not an abomination." She said through clenched teeth.

Josephine cleared her throat. "Bann Trevelyan says otherwise," the woman said sadly. "He claims a demon possessed you in your youth. That it changed you and forced you to leave."

Ela shook her head, pushing harder on Corban. Hating him and Bann Trevelyan for all their lies.

"It's a lie," she stressed, "it's not a demon…It's…it's a spirit."

"A spirit?" Cassandra asked stepping forward.

"Yes and I didn't do this to myself. Neither of us asked for this. It was forced."

"You are blamed for the deaths of more than thirty Templars in the Free Marches," Leliana snapped." How do you explain that?"

_'Leave while you have a chance. You have no place here.'_

"Yes, I do." Ela growled through gritted teeth.

"You admit to it then?" Cassandra asked stunned.

_Quiet!_ She hissed at the spirit.

"No."

"Then what is it?" Leliana demanded.

'_They'll turn on you.'_

"Let her speak." The Commander barked making her flinch. Glancing up at him, his face was pale and pulled into a frown. "Let her speak." He said more calmly. One of his hands was wrapped tightly around his sword hilt. Her stomach dropped.

Juliana laid a hand on her shoulder. "She isn't some monster," her sister proclaimed. "She would never." Her heart pained at her sister's words. They been apart for so long, connected only by the letters they'd written over the years and she still trusted her.

"I did," she admitted calmly. The hand on her shoulder tightened. "I killed them."

The Commander turned his head away.

"I didn't have a choice. I couldn't let them take me." She explained. "I was going home. I was saving Aiden."

"From what? A life in the Circle is not so bad?" The Commander hissed.

"Our family," Juliana fired back. "Ela saved him from our family."

Cassandra crossed her arms, an eyebrow raised in question. "What did your family intend to do?"

"Sister Lelinana, do you know how many mages the Trevelyans have sent to the Circle in the past decade?" Juliana asked.

"None and before that two." Leliana replied quickly.

Juliana nodded. "It's not because we don't have mage blood. It's because they kill them."

"What?"

"They kill us." Ela repeated for her sister. "They kill us once we develop magic. Once our eyes change. They killed our older brother, Torren, when it happened to him."

"It would have been the same for Allie, but our mother couldn't do it," Juliana added. "She kept it hidden. Locked us both up for weeks, until she found someone to take her."

"That's how I left."

"Who took you?" Leliana asked.

"A good man who did his best." Ela bristled crossing her arms.

Leliana sighed. "We can have no more secrets."

"An Avvar mage. A very old mage. He took me in as his own and taught me how to survive."

"This is hard to believe," Leliana voiced. "A spirit posses you and follows your bloodline? It's never been heard of before."

"I can only tell you what I know." Ela said. "The spirit follows us through blood. It went from Torren to me and when I die it will go to Aiden."

"But why?"

"I don't understand it. It's tried to explain before, but it hurts to think about it." She explained pinching the bridge of her nose. "The spirits the only one that understands."

They perked up at that.

Ela's eyes narrowed. "Would that ease you? To see it, to talk to it? Prove that it's actually a spirit."

"No," Cassandra voiced. "I don't think it would. I don't know how to identify such a thing…but I know someone who could."

Ela gave a heavy sigh, already knowing who the woman had in mind. "Fine, go get him. I'm taking these three to the dungeons. Meet me there."

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed! Let me know how you're enjoying things!**_


	21. Chapter 21: Abominations and The Maker

_**Sorry for the shorter chapters, but I really want to crank this out.**_

* * *

The Chantry dungeons were cleaner than others Cullen had seen. The cell Ela had chosen especially so. The woman was on her knees, her hands resting palms up, behind a locked cell door, for their protection and her own. It was scary to think that she was actually about to let a demon, or spirit, or whatever it was take control of her.

Cullen tightened his grip on his sword as he leaned against the stone wall. He couldn't understand it. Ela hadn't shown any of the signs. She wasn't malicious, wasn't hungry for power, wasn't overly violent.

_All she wants is to protect the Herald._ Cullen rubbed at his temples. It seemed so innocent. If she was truly possessed there had to be some ulterior motive to it. _Keeping family safe, it's not so wrong. _Except it was. To the part that still thought like a Templar, the part that wanted to run her through the moment the knight told him what she was. What she admitted to being.

_Abomination. _

A shiver ran down his spine. Images of the tower in Ferelden flooded his mind. The blood, the death, the fear. He tried to force their faces from his mind.

_Breathe in. Breathe out. _

Lady Ringlen stepped in front of him, her hands folded prettily in front of her as her dress swishing quietly against the stone floor. It was eerie, the similarities between the two of them. Long black hair framed an oval face with high cheekbones and sharp downturned eyes. Only one had brown eyes, where the other had purple ones. Ela was more well-muscled and scarred. Her face was harder too, mistrustful and secretive. At least now he knew why.

"I'll be weak after this," Ela was saying pulling her hair over a shoulder. "I hope this will be enough to appease you all. I won't be able to do much after."

Solas nodded in understanding. He was positioned in front of the cell leaning against his twisted staff. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." The woman sighed and rolled her head back. Her shoulders slumped, her head lulled to one side. The eyes that looked back up at them weren't Ela's. They were overtaken with purple.

"Traitors," she croaked her voice changed, "this fool trusted you and as I said you turned on her." The demon moved to stand, but stopped, it's face twisting in confusion. A smirk grew on its lips. "She won't let me move. You should be thankful." Its eyes raked over them. "Where is the boy?"

"He is safe," Solas assured. "Did Ela tell you what we wanted to know?"

It scoffed at him. "She doesn't have to tell me anything, I hear what she hears. I see what she sees."

"Then you are not connected to the Fade?"

"No, I've been from the fade for too long. Hundreds of years. I have seen her ancestors die again and again. Some even younger than the boy. "

"Why are you bound to them?" Solas asked.

"Her blood bound me ages ago. I heard him praying for help. His family was being hunted. The man was sure they would all die. I pitied him, so I reached across the Veil and helped him. I thought nothing of it." It took a deep breath and rolled Ela's shoulders. "He called to me again after that, and again, and again. Then one day he called to me and when I reached across the Veil he entrapped me. I couldn't go back."

Solas shifted on his feet, visibly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"There is nothing to be sorry for."

"Often times when a spirit is entrapped they go mad and change into demons. Why haven't you?"

It locked eyes with the mage. "I'm not so weak as to let myself degrade into such madness. The mage wasn't either. He kept us separate, blocked me off, just as Ela does, for both of us to stay sane."

"You must have been very strong to resist changing. What kind of spirit are you?"

"I...I cannot remember." It said simply. "I do not feel the same as I did when I occupied the Fade. Being bound gave me a new purpose."

"And what is that?"

"To protect his family. To keep them alive."

"Are you supposed to keep the mages from being killed?"

"Not just them, all of his blood, but...the mages have more need of me." It clenched its fists, scratching Ela's leather leggings. "I have failed so many of them. I will not fail these two."

Solas nodded. "I understand." Turning, he gave a sign and motioned for them. "I do not think it is a demon, but it isn't a spirit either. Being bound to mages, time and time again has changed it."

Leliana folded her hands behind her back. "Is it a danger?"

"Everyone in Haven is a potential danger," the elf said.

Cullen clenched his jaw, struggling to push his bias aside and listen. _We can't trust it. Spirit, or demon it doesn't matter. It could take control. _

Cassandra moved to the bars. "You say you heard the mages prayers," she said to the demon. "Who was he praying to?"

It cocked its head up at her. "The Maker."

The Seeker gave a sigh as she turned back to them.

"Cassandra, what is it?" Josephine asked.

"I can't help thinking what if the Maker sent them? What if this is all part of his plan?" Cassandra sighed her brow furrowed. "Is this what he wanted? A possessed mage protecting the Herald?"

The thought at first sent his mind into a flurry_. The Maker? Send an abomination._ It was ridiculous. _Isn't it?_ It was true, the Maker worked in mysterious ways, but would he really send them an ab...a possessed mage to aide them. To protect the Herald.

Solas moved back to the cell. "I think we've heard enough. Thank you for cooperating." He said dipping his head slightly.

"You're politer than I thought a mortal could be." It grinned. "I'll give her back, but listen to me now. Betray them again and I'll take them both away."

"What?" Leliana asked stepping forward.

"Betray, or hurt any of them. This girl, her sister, her brother and I'll take them away from you." It threatened. "I do not intend to lose another." With a humph, it dropped its head and with a gasp for air Ela was back. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she took big gulping breaths and laid back on the floor, rubbing at her head.

"What do you all think should be done?" Leliana asked turning to him and Josephine.

Josephine tapped at her arm. "I'm not sure, I never thought anything like this would happen."

Solas moved next to them. "I believe it was telling the truth. Ela wouldn't be able to control a demon like that. Whatever magic bound it to them is complex and dangerous."

"But do you think she is safe?" Leliana pressed.

"I do," Solas answered. "She's done nothing but aide us so far. I see no reason that would change...unless we give her a reason."

Cullen shook his head. "You can't be sure she'll stay that way. What if something happens to anger it, or her?" He asked thrusting an arm at the woman. "There have to be measures for this, precautions taken."

"It is...perplexing," Cassandra said crossing her arms. "An abomination in our ranks, but…"

"But?" Cullen asked his heart thudding in his chest.

"I see no reason for us to interfere. I think we should trust her," Cassandra said. "In fact, I think it's best that we do. If her job is to protect the Herald then we let her do her job."

Cullen bristled. "We cannot let her walk around unchecked. It's bad enough we have mages that will be unwatched arriving here soon, but we have one who we know for a fact is possessed. We can't do nothing. What if she loses control, or kills someone?"

"Then why don't you do it?" Ela snapped. She had unlocked the cell and joined their circle without so much as a word till then. "You've the training after all, Templar. If you're so afraid of me, then take it upon yourself to watch me."

"I don't mean it like that," Cullen said a sudden guilt growing in his chest. "You could lose control. Spirits and demons are not play things to be taken lightly. The destruction they can cause-"

"I can, that's what you mean right? The destruction I can cause." She took a step forward her eyes piercing into him. "I've lived my life with this thing. I know what I can do with it, what it can do to me and believe me even if you were watching me like one of your little Circle mages and it took control and wanted to kill, it would and you wouldn't be able to stop it."

"And you're okay with that?" He asked with a sneer.

"How could I be?" She scoffed at him. "This isn't a simple spell, or, or a potion. I can't fix it." Her eyes softened as she gestured at herself. "I am what I am, I can't change it. I can only keep it and stop it from going to Aiden. Cause I don't think he could handle it as well as I can."

Her answer hit him in the chest like a boulder. Cullen turned his head away as the guilt in his chest grew hot. He had been so busy thinking of her simply as a danger, thinking she liked the power it gave her, he hadn't imagined she would be afraid of it. Templars were taught so often that abominations were made from weak, or power hungry mages. It had blinded him to her reality. She didn't want it and she was afraid.

Ela pinched at the bridge of her nose. "If it really bothers you all so much, get a few Templars and have them watch me. Let everyone know what I am." She relented, placing her hand on her hip. "If that'll make you all feel safe from me."

"That will not be necessary," Cassandra said stepping between them. "You've been with us nearly a year. You've earned my trust." The Seeker placed a hand on the woman's shoulder and glanced back at him, her brown eyes piercing.

"Cullen, set your feelings aside." Leliana whispered. "We do not have the men to even spare for the task."

Sighing, Cullen folded his arms. "I'll trust you, but we need to stay informed."

"That is reasonable." Josephine chirped. "If anything with you changes we need to know."

"I can help with that," Solas said turning to Ela. "We can do a session as often as you choose to ensure your health, mental and physical."

Ela nodded. "That will work."

Leliana returned the nod. "Good, then we only need explain your connections to the Trevelyans to the public." Ela glanced up with wide eyes. "Do not worry it will be no time soon. We need time to find a way to beat the story they told us. Labeling you as an abomination will be a blow we cannot handle yet."

"I agree," Josephine said. "As much as I'd like to do things properly the Inquisition cannot handle such allegations at this time. We need time and closing the Breach will give us that."

"Bann Trevelyan doesn't know I'm here," Lady Ringlen interjected. "But Corban wrote to him often. If he does not hear from him, he may find I am not at home, and he will question that."

Leliana tapped her chin with a finger. "I can handle that."

"Good, then if that bit of nastiness is done…there is something else I think you all should know." Ela sighed hugging her sides.

"You don't mean-" Lady Ringlen looked at her with wide eyes.

"I do." Ela said quickly. "There's something else we should be wary of, someone else more specifically. Just…it has to stay with us, Aiden can't know."

* * *

_**Let me know what secret you all think Ela is hiding from Aiden, maybe one of you can guess it.**_

_**I hope you all enjoyed! Leave a comment on how you're liking things!**_


	22. Chapter 22: Mistakes

"Aiden, I thought I told you stay at the cabin," Ela chided as her brother bounded up the stairs. He had his staff on his back and a look as if he was prepared to battle the entire Inquisition. But he was dwarfed by Kata's looming form who snatched the boy up with a growl.

"The imekari slipped past me," Kata growled holding Aiden over his head. Her brother squirmed and struggled in the man's arms. "He worried."

The sight of them made her rankled nerves calm again. They were safe. Her little display had calmed the advisors, most of them at least. The Commander had looked ready to striker her down then and there and Leliana still thought her betrayal was justified. But they were safe, that's all that mattered.

Kata crested the stairs and froze, Aiden still high in the air. "Is this..." He let his question trail off as Aiden jerked from his arms and landed on his knees at their feet. His purple eyes widened and his face broke into a smile.

"Julie!" Her brother cried with surprise lunging at the woman.

Juliana giggled as Aiden wrapped her in an embrace. "Oh, you've gotten much taller."

"You look the same," Aiden said.

"You've been looking at Ela everyday so I'm sure my face isn't new." Juliana laughed.

Kata placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a questioning nod, which she returned with narrow eyes. They still had work to take care of. _I can't let go back to the cabin yet. _She still needed to deal with Evsa.

"You two should go eat," Ela yawned stretching her arms over her head. "It's been a long day. Aiden take Julie to the tavern. I'll be there soon."

Her twin shot her a questioning look, but Aiden grabbed her by the hand and urged her to follow.

"Come on, you can meet Varric and Warden Blackwall." He said tugging at her arm.

"Is that safe?" Kata asked turning to follow her back to the cabin.

Ela nodded. "Is she still there?"

"Yes, Lilith is keeping her distracted." He answered. "What happened?"

Sighing, she rubbed at her head and explained all that had happened. How they found out who she really was, how they made her prove herself, how the Commander had reacted. Kata listened with a frown.

"They could have killed you." He rumbled. "I should have been with you."

"It was fine, better than the alternative really." Ela assured him. He was growing more and more protective everyday they spent in the Haven. If Kata wasn't shadowing Aiden, he was shadowing her, or asking Cassandra if there was any cabin more defensible than the one they occupied.

"What do you intend to do with the elf?"

_'Kill her.'_

"I don't know yet." Ela replied ignoring the spirit. Her head was throbbing from breaking the barrier. It felt like a mountain was head butting her and it was near impossible to ignore.

"She can't go unpunished. She betrayed us." Kata growled.

"I know."

Kata grabbed her arm and spun her around. His red eyes bored into her like drills. "If you can't do it, I can." He said proudly. "I'll make her pay."

_'Let him.' _The spirit ordered. It was suggestive in tone, but a clear order and she wanted desperately to obey. She made a mental note to make another barrier as soon as possible. Not being separated was dangerous, it made it to easy for the spirit to control her.

Shaking her head, Ela shrugged his arm off and turned away. Kata followed in silence, his heavy footsteps the only noise he made. When they made it to the cabin, her heart beat was steady and her hands steady. As she pushed open the door, it felt like it wasn't her arm and with each step she took she felt her falling farther and farther away from herself.

Evsa was seated on Lilith's cot, her red hair had been done up in a bun. She was grinning and laughing, but the smile melted from her face when her eyes laid on Ela.

"Ya didn't tell me she would be here," Evsa snapped shooting up from her seat. Her green eyes turned to daggers that flicked between the three of them. Lilith shrugged and stood moving to Ela's side without a word, her ice blue eyes shooting daggers right back.

Ela took a deep breath and the spirit steadied her hands. "Do you know what you've done?" She said calmly.

"What are ya talking about?" Evsa asked with growl.

"Do you know what you did?" She asked again. Her nails bit into the palm of her hand making her nerves alight with pain.

"I didn't do anything," the elf claimed. "What is this about? Lilith why'd ya bring me here?"

_'Liar.' _ Warmth crept through her arm and she fought to keep the spirit's magic contained.

"Stop lying," Kata growled stepping forward.

"About what?!"

"What you did," Lilith said crossing her arms. "You stabbed us in the back and now you want to act innocent?"

"You told them about me and Aiden. You're the only one who could have." Ela said sitting on the edge of her cot.

"Told _who_ what?"

Kata leaped forward and grabbed her by the throat in one big hand. "You lie again and I'll have snap your neck."

Evsa clawed at his arm and Ela could feel the Veil pull and twist as the elf summoned up a spell. Ela snapped, pulling the Veil away from her and watched with a smirk as Evsa tried to summon her magic, only for nothing to happen. The elf's face dropped in horror and she her gurgled chokes increased as she kicked against Kata's chest to no effect. w

"Let her go," Ela ordered. Kata dropped the woman without a word and moved to her side. "I should let him kill you. You might as well have killed us."

"What did ya do to me?" Evsa demanded grasping at her throat. "Why can't I use my magic?"

"I just made the Veil avoid you, nothing hard. It won't last forever."

"You silenced me?!"

"If that's what you want to call it."

_'She deserves worse.' _

Ela pinched at the bridge of her nose. "I just don't understand it. What do you gain from exposing me?"

Evsa's face folded into a snarl. "I didn't do anything."

_'She thinks she can fool you.'_

"Evsa I won't ask you again. Why?" Ela stressed rubbing at her head. "Why tell them about me, about my family?"

"I didn't!" Eva yelled jumping up. "Whatever happened to ya, ya brought on yourself! I warned you about what would happen."

_'Punish her.'_

"And I warned you." Ela growled

_'Kill her.'_

"What do you think you're going to-" Her retort was cut off with a pop and a blast of heat from Ela's fingers. Light erupted around her as she shook and struggled as a cage of lighting formed around her and burned at her every side. Evsa made to scream, but Ela only increased the power tightening the bonds around her till they cut into her flesh. It was over as quickly as it had begun and Evsa's lifeless body clattered to the floor.

"Damn it, Ela." Lilith cursed. "Why here?! Shite, how are we going to get her out?"

Ela gave a content exhale. The spirit seemed to twirl inside her, it's elation infecting her. It felt good, it felt right, but somewhere in her she knew it wasn't.

Kata pressed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take care of this, Kadan." He said patting her. "Take your sword and separate yourself."

Ela glanced over at the iron sheathed sword. It was laid at the foot of her cot, her pack laid over it. The thought of using it made her stomach turn even more.

"No," she said standing. "No, I don't need it. I'll go to the woods and meditate there. It'll take longer, but I don't think I can handle the sword right now." Using the sword while meditating, even if she only exposed a bit of the blade made her feel wrong. The red lyrium blade made the spirit stronger, not her.

Lilith gave another sigh. "What do we say when people ask where she's gone?"

Ela dropped her head back. _Damn it. _She hadn't thought of that. The Circle mages might question her absence and if Leliana got word then..._Maker's balls_.

"Lilith go find her stuff and make it all disappear. I don't care how, just make it look like she left and in a hurry." She ordered heading out the door.

"You make it sound easy," Lilith complained following after her.

"Nothing worth doing is easy," Ela muttered as she headed into the night.

* * *

"What did you expect me to do?" Cassandra asked blocking another one of his swings. Cullen grimaced. It was a fair question.

"Talk to her," he said using his shield to stop one of her own blows. "Convince her to tell the Herald the truth."

"It is not my place, nor is it yours." Cassandra chided. "But if you're so adamant about telling her then do it yourself."

Sighing, he let his shoulders drop and placed the tip of his sword on the ground. "She won't speak to me," he admitted. "She drops her reports and leaves. Even the men have noticed it."

Cullen sighed. It was a vexing situation. Ela was ignoring him. He'd tried to talk to her, explain his reasoning for wanting to put her under watch, but he'd only been met with a cold stare and tight lips. Even Lady Ringlen had been cold to him.

Cassandra placed the training sword in the rack and shook her head. "Then apologize, you were the only one who tried to put her under watch."

"For our safety and her own," Cullen stressed.

"I understand that, but Solas is sure that she is fine. I trust him and her."

"How?" Cullen asked rubbing at his forehead. "How can you just blindly trust them?"

"I do not trust them blindly," she scoffed. "I've fought beside them both. I know them. Solas helped us when the Breach appeared and Ela has done everything she can to keep the Herald safe. They do not need to prove themselves to me, not anymore."

Cullen put his training sword back and crossed his arms. His head was pounding. The lyrium withdrawal grew worse every day and recent issues were not helping his pain. "Even with what she told you? You don't see an issue with it?"

"She was fourteen, Cullen." Cassandra reminded him. "If she doesn't want Aiden to know, then he shouldn't know. I can't imagine the decision was easy for her."

"I…I know, but what if something happens to her and he's left alone."

"You can worry about it then, but I'm sure Kata will stay with him."

"The Qunari?"

"Tal-Vashoth," she corrected him. "He is very devoted to the two of them. You won't be the only one to apologize. I did, Josephine too, even Leliana." Cassandra told him. "You need to set it right if want her to listen to you."

"Really? Even Leliana?"

"In her own way yes." Cassandra explained. "I understand you want to treat her like any other mage, but we cannot. She is the Herald's sister and she holds sway over him. If we want the Herald we have to keep her happy too. I put my faith more in the Maker than either of them."

"Fine," Cullen sighed. "I'll try and talk to her. I'll apologize, but...I still don't think it is wise. We need regulations. The mages and soldiers, all of us."

"You quit lyrium Cullen, you can handle this."

He chuckled thinking of all the pounding headaches and nightmares and sweat soaked sheets. It was hell, but it would be worth it in the end. When he didn't feel the need anymore.

"I've got to get to work," Cullen said strapping his sword belt on.

Cassandra nodded and with a wave left.

As soon, as he walked over to his men, the flurry of reports started. They had new recruits, new swords, better horses, and a new agent. It was all good news for once. The Herald had closed all the Rifts in the Hinterlands and morale in the area had been busted enough to encourage more men to join.

Cullen made his way over to his men still glancing over his reports. Someone bumped into him and sent the reports flying. Cullen whirled around, a glare ready for whatever poor fool he found. On the ground a man with a heavy brow and black hair looked up at him with fear in his dark eyes.

"My apologies, Commander," the man said scrambling to his feet. He looked no older than twenty and had the look of a new recruit. "I was just fetching the trainee swords for Mistress Ela."

Cullen dispelled his glare and offered a hand to the man. He knew Ela was pushing her men harder than usual. If it was from anger, or her fear for the Herald's safety he couldn't tell. "What's your name?" He asked hoisting the man up.

"Davin, Commander."

* * *

**Davin's made an appearance which means only bad things can follow, let's hope our characters are ready! **

**What secret do you think Ela's keeping from Aiden?**

**Next chapter Sera and Ela get a little bit closer and Juliana takes an interest in Blackwall. **

**Drop a comment to keep me writing!**


	23. Chapter 23: A Short Rest

**Thanks for all the reviews and welcome to those who've started reading! Just a reminder I don't always stick to canon.**

**Sorry for not updating last week, I got super busy with school.**

* * *

"You can't be serious!" Juliana gasped as Ela pulled on her leather breeches. "You're going to wear that, all day?"

"Yes, I am Julie." Ela sighed lacing her ties deftly. Her twin had been appalled not only at the state of Haven and it's lack of a bath house, but also by her own limited wardrobe. As nice as it was to see Juliana again, it was proving trying. Her sister was cut from a different fabric, a better fabric.

The woman rose from the bed with a frown, smoothed her straw yellow dress, and flipped the top to her trunk open in one quick motion. "No, you're a lady. You need something better than that." She said waving an arm at the scratched armor.

"I have nothing better."

"You will borrow my riding clothes and I will do your hair."

"Fine, but be quick," Ela conceded yanking off her bottoms. "I've got to get to my recruits." Her sister flashed a smile, pushed her onto a cot, and began pulling clothes from her hazel trunk.

Ela sat quietly as her sister worked taking in the silence of the cabin. Aiden was off with Solas and Kata, training. Lilith was in the Chantry whispering rumors about Evsa's disappearance and making sure Bann Trevelyan's men were still locked away underground as Leliana had promised. It may have been unnecessary, but considering the Spymaster's recent activities, it was hard to trust her.

Even when the woman had told her about the mage possessed by the spirit in her days with the Warden she was hard to believe. She desperately wanted to though. If someone had learned to live in peace with a spirit, with no fear of it twisting into a demon, she needed to learn their secrets.

Leaning back she laid her head against the cold stone as her sister laid outfits onto Aiden's bed. Her shoulders ached, her legs stung, and her head pounded in regular intervals. Life as an agent was taking a toll on her. She hadn't thought that there would be so much work in closing the Breach and she had not thought it would take so long. But they were close to the end at last. Mages were pouring in everyday and soon they would have the strength, and the lyrium thanks to Jospehine, to close the damned thing. Then she and Aiden would be back on the beaten path with no immediate worries.

"Allie,"

"Huh,"Ela shook her head, pulling herself from her daydreams.

"Pick one," her twin ordered planting a hand on her hip. Ela stood and glanced over her two choices. The first was a dark navy with burgundy accents and gloves. It had a boned corset that wrapped around a white shirt with billowing sleeves. The coat was long and had pockets inside and out, its small clasps in the shape of blood red butterflies. The navy boots were even worse with butterfly shaped clasps and a fur lining that made them stiff as wood. Ela's nose crinkled at the sight and she moved her attention to her second choice. The second outfit was much simpler in design. It was black with golden clasps and red stitching. It lacked a corset to her liking and the coat was cut to accentuate her waist and was lined with a soft black fur. Picking up the boots she bent them forwards and back and side to side looking for any reason to deny the offerings before her.

"They are very comfy." Her sister said smugly, twirling one of her perfect curls.

Ela rolled her eyes and without a word hastily threw on the black outfit. It fit almost perfectly. The boots were supple and warm and the coat was not only form fitting but it stopped short enough for her to strap her sword belt to her waist. The only real issue was the tightness around her chest. The clasps on the coat barely held closed. Every time she took a breath she was afraid they would fly open.

Julie gave a tsk and undid the first two clasps, reliving the pressure. "I forgot you've more muscle than me." She said pulling a red scarf from the trunk.

Ela tried to hold back her laugh. It wasn't just her muscle that was causing the tightness. Between the two of them she had larger assets, a fact that Juliana had not wanted to believe the first time they had reunited. "Sure, Julie." Her sister shot her a narrow glare as she draped the scarf over her neck and laid it over her exposed chest.

Stepping back Juliana gave an approving nod and ushered her back onto the cot. With quick fingers she began working at her hair. Ela closed her eyes and cocked her head back, enjoying the sensation. Usually Kata was the one who helped her tame her locks, but he was much quicker and his fingers weren't soothing like Juliana's, they caused pain. Slowly, but surely she began to fall back into her daydreams.

"What are you doing after all this?" Her sister asked pulling her from her thoughts once more. "I know you have plans, but..I was thinking about something."

"About what?"

"You and the others could come stay with me. Theo died a few years ago and I've no children." Juliana said sadly. "It would be good to have family close again."

"Mother doesn't write you anymore?" Ela asked cocking an eyebrow.

"She is too busy with Father. He wants an heir, but Eliana disappeared with the Templars." She explained. "I think she's still looking for you."

"She is," Ela said thoughts of her sister flooding her mind. The last time she had seen Eliana the woman had been covered in blood, shouting threats. "She followed me to Orlais, but I was gone before she arrived."

"That is good, but Ela...I have the space. Theo has no siblings and his parents have long passed. I could dismiss father's men. You, Aiden, Kata, Lilith, whoever else, I don't care. Join me when this is over."

Ela gave a sad smile. It was a nice offer. In fact it was the best offer she'd heard in a long time. The thought was it was nice. Having a home, somewhere she didn't have to worry about being betrayed, or being tricked, or being attacked. Somewhere safe. It wouldn't be though, not with her and Aiden there.

"Julie, she said turning to her sister. "That is very kind of you, but we both know I can't. It'd just put you in danger."

"Is he so bold to attack you even when you're under guard?"

"Even bolder than that." Ela told her taking her sister's hand gently. "Cyran won't be deterred by a few guards, or even a whole regiment. The only thing I can do is keep Aiden and I on the move so he can't track us. I think it's pure luck he hasn't found us here."

"Or maybe he's stopped looking?" Juliana said hopefully. "He may have grown tired by now, or perhaps he's found another fixation."

"As much as I wish I doubt it." Ela huffed standing. "If he finds out about Aiden he'd...Maker it hurts my heart." Juliana rose, throwing her arms around her. Ela returned the hug, wondering how long it would be before they got a chance to be this close again. "I've got to get going. I have to make arrangements for you, plan a schedule, get your escorts."

Juliana gave a frown as she pulled away her brown eyes wet with tears. "Then at least join me on my journey, just for a day or two. I know you have to be here to help Aiden close the Breach, but I've missed you so."

Ela nodded slowly, mulling it over in her mind. "For two days at most. I've missed you too, Julie. Now I have to go. I'll see you tonight right? Blackwall seemed excited to speak with you again."

Her sister's face flushed. "Is that the Warden I met? Did he say that?" She asked quickly her eyes growing wide.

"He didn't have to."Ela answered. With a smirk she left her sister to her thoughts and headed to the training grounds.

The group that awaited her was smaller than the other, but they at least seemed seasoned. There were two who caught her attention. Will, a stocky man who seemed better suited for the sword than the bow, and Davin, a thin greasy haired Fereldan who smelled oddly nice for a soldier.

"Davin, Will, get can you two shot from horseback?" She asked yanking a stray arrow from the ground.

"No, si...ma'm." Will replied his face turning red. "Never learned to steady myself just right." Ela hid her smile from him. The man was having trouble remembering what to call her. All yesterday she had spent the morning reminding him she wasn't a sir, but it didn't seem to be sticking with him. She put up with it though, it was harmless.

Davin stepped forward, his hair plastered to his forehead. "I can, ma'm. Learned when I was still on the farm." He said grinning cockily.

"Good, I'm giving you a chance to prove it. Ever been an escort for a noble?"

* * *

"Heres to getting on with our damned lives," Bull said knocking back an entire tankard. Sera gave a cheer and followed his lead. The ale stunk, like Denerim in summer, but it went down smooth enough and gave birth to nice burn in her innards.

They were celebrating the alliance. That was the excuse at least. Really it was just a reason for them all to get drunk, though she herself had never needed an excuse before. Recruiting the mages wasn't the best decision in her mind, but Sera had shrugged it off. They'd close the Breach and then she wouldn't have to be so close to them. Just another week of praying to the Maker that none of them turned into abominations. Then she'd be back to real work, to helping the little people, and making coin.

She threw a glance at Ela. The woman was grinning wide as she whispered into her sister's ear. It was odd to think of her as a noble. She didn't act like one, but right now she looked like one with neatly braided hair, straight teeth, and painted lips. She was dressed nice too, real nice. The black outfit hugged all the important bits and only emphasized the woman's wide hips and bosom. Noble or not, it was a nice sight. Ela had only ever worn armor before, but this was better. Much better.

"So you left home to start a mercenary band?" Blackwall asked Ela. "That's a different way of doing things."

Ela shrugged snaking an arm around her sister. "I'm different I suppose. Nothing new about that."

"Nothing at all." Bull laughed. "You have three mages and a Tal-Vashoth in your band, that's more than most can hope to handle."

"Is it really?" Lady Ringlen asked. "Then you must have more. Ela told me you're a highly regarded captain."

Bull grinned, his good eye crinkling. "Did she?"

"She did," Lady Ringlen confirmed. "She told me about most of you, but I would love to know more. I've never gotten to meet my sister's associates before."

"Not much to know Lady Ringlen," Varric said with a shrug. "We're just you're ordinary band of misfits."

"Says the most famous person at the table," Blackwall chuckled. "You know he's an author right? Wrote all those romance novels and the one about the Champion of Kirkwall."

Lady Ringlen's face seemed to light up. "Really, that's you?!" She gasped leaning forward. "I've read all your books."

Sera smirked and turned to Ela who was glancing over at her.

"You two are real different." Sera said sipping from her mug.

Ela's nose crinkled as she flashed a confused smile. "Are we really?That's not what I often hear."

"You are though. She's all priss and lace and you're all steel and blood," Sera explained hoping that it didn't come out wrong. It was supposed to be a compliment. "It's like a fairy tale, it starts the same, but ends different because of who's telling it."

"That's one way to describe it." Ela chuckled glancing at her sister. "She would be the better one though."

Sera felt heat creep up her face. "Not so certain of that," she said daringly glancing up at the woman with hooded eyes. Ela caught her gaze and leaned on an arm. "I think you're pretty great. You saved all those people in the mire and helped the people in the Crossroads. Saw you giving some gold to those kids in Orlais too."

Ela shied from her gaze with a laugh. "Thank you, but I can't say it's all me. Aiden influences me quite a bit. Cassandra too."

"She's a good one yea, just a little...tight."

"Tight?" Ela giggled. "Strict is a better description."

"Ela tell them about that time in the Storm Coast," Bull interrupted with a roar.

"About the dragon? It was beautiful. And it was fighting a giant."

"Yeah, it was badass. I can't wait to go back and fight that thing." Bull growled. "As soon as we're down here me and the Chargers are going to go have a little fun. You should come along Blackwall."

Blackwall scoffed from behind his burly beard. "I couldn't do that. Warden's are made for darkspawn, not dragons."

Lady Ringlen eyed the man carefully. Her plump lips pulled into a sweet smile. "I'm sure you'd have no trouble Warden," she purred.

The Warden seemed to blush behind his mass of beard and nodded. "You're too kind, My Lady." He said turning his attention back to his pint. Varric smirked knowingly beside him.

There was something about Warden's that always made ladies want to drop their undies. Sera just didn't understand it, but then again maybe she hadn't met the right one. After all, Blackwall didn't exactly have the parts she cared for.

"Hey, where's the kid?"Varric asked with a raised eyebrow. "I haven't seen him all day."

Ela shrugged and finished off her pint. "Probably back at the cabin. He better be back at the cabin." The woman paused, sighed, and tapped her fingers against the table before she spoke again. "I should check. I'll be back."

Sera's heart panged in her chest. This could be one of their last night together. "I'll go with you," she said standing. "Need to get up and move anyway, been on may arse since we got back." Ela flashed a smile and nodded.

Outside the wind was calm for once and Haven sat in an odd blanket of silence as they strode toward Ela's cabin.

"So, you ready to be done with all this?" Ela asked pulling her braid over her shoulder.

"Been ready since the start." Sera laughed. "We can get back to normal soon."

Ela threw a glance at her from over her shoulder. "Yeah, normal will be good."

"It'll be a little sad though. To have to go that is." She cursed herself as she searched for the words. "To not see everybody...and you all the time."

Ela stopped and turned to face her, a soft smile on her face. "Sera are you trying to say you'll miss me?"

"Well, yeah. Not just that though. I want more time, but there isn't any time. We'll both be gone after this is done. I'm...I'm not ready, but I don't want to just stop here cause we're not in the same shite village."

Ela nodded, her purple eyes shining. "We can stay in contact." Ela said. "If we knew how to find one another it wouldn't be so hard. I've kept in contact with Julie for years, mostly anyway."

"That's all good and stuff, but I want to keep getting to know one another." Sera said sighing. Wringing her hands, she kept on. "Look I like you, but I still need to know you. I don't want that to stop."

Ela smiled and took a step forward, placing a hand over her clenched fists. "Then we won't stop." Sera looked up in surprise. She hadn't expected her to agree. Usually when people had to go different ways they just went different ways. "I'm a patient woman. Cranky sometimes, but patient."

Sera smiled. Her face burning with heat again. "Alright, alright no need to get sappy and all." She giggled laying a hand on her arm.

"Nothing wrong with that. I could be sappier."

"And how?"

"Like this," Ela leaned in and placed a quick peck on her cheek. It could barely be called a kiss, but her heart thumped in happiness anyway. Before, the woman could pull away Sera caught Ela's lips in her own. They were soft and warm. Her skin felt alight with fire as her heart hammered in her chest. It felt better than she thought it would.

Pulling away slowly, Sera gave a huge grin. "Enough of that, now," she said playfully shoving Ela. "Let's go check on your brother."

* * *

Her knee was jammed into his back and her arm was laid over his face. Whatever had made him say that he would share his bed with Juliana had him reconsidering everything. She snored, she kicked, she tossed and turned. It was impossible to handle.

Aiden huffed and slid out of his bed. The cold air hit his legs like a hammer and sliding past Kata, he shuffled quickly to Ela's cot. She was curled tight into her blankets, her hair was tied into a bun and wrapped in a silk scarf.

He shook her awake.

"Wh..wha Aiden what's wrong?" Ela asked groggily. She rubbed at her eyes and struggled sit up. Without a word he slid next to her and buried his face in her pillow. "Oh, no, Aiden, no. You're told old for this." She groaned shoving him away from her.

"Julie kept hitting me and she snores." He whined digging himself deeper into the cot. It was small for two, but it wasn't anything new. They'd been squeezed into more uncomfortable sleeping positions. "Please, Ela."

His sister flopped back down with a groan. "Fine, but tomorrow you're on your own."

"Thanks," he muttered trying to get comfortable. Shoving his hands under his head, he tried to find sleep, but it alluded him. His mind kept running with fears of closing the Breach, of the Elder One, of the strangled screams of dying men. But mostly about what would happen to him, or worse, to Ela if the Elder One got ahold of her. _We'll be okay._ He repeated it over and over, but it didn't run out the image of her face, eyes all purple, face hard and malicious. It turned his blood cold.

He hadn't told her about it and he'd made Dorian swear to keep it to himself. Ela would only blame herself. She'd run away, or do something to keep it from happening. After all, his sister was known for her drastic measures.

"Ela?" Aiden whispered rolling to face his sister's back. "Ela wake up?"

She gave a stifled groan in response.

"What?"

He opened his mouth and froze. What could he say? His sister could always tell when he was lying. "I…I love you."

Ela gave another huff and flipped over. "What's going on?"

"I just wante-"

"No something is wrong," she whispered placing a hand on his head. "Tell me."

"I…I don't know if i can do it." He said opting for the smaller fear. "I don't know if I can close the Breach."

"Of course you can Aiden." Ela said running her fingers through his hair. "You'll be fine. I'll be there with you and all the mages."

"But what if something goes wrong? What if something happens...to you?" He asked trying to hide the fear in his voice. Ela sat up and pulled him up along with her. "No,no,no." He struggled to no effect as she wrapped his arms around him in a hug. She always hugged him when he tried to talk about things. It made him feel like a child.

"Yep it's happening," She said tightening her grip around him. "I know you're scared Aiden, but you've nearly done it once before. You'll be okay. If anything happens I'll be right there with you."

Someone stirred from the side. "What's wrong?" Kata groaned from his cot. It creaked sadly as he shifted on it.

"Aiden can't sleep." Ela explained quietly. Kata gave a grunt in response and the sound of his bare feet sounded against the stone floor as he moved to join them. Aiden gave a quiet groan. He didn't need both of them worrying about him. In the darkness, all he could see was the man's silvery hair as he descended upon them and felt the cot sink with a long creak as he sat beside Ela.

"I'm fine," Aiden grumbled. "I'll go to sleep."

"Do not lie," Kata yawned. "What bothers you?"

"He's worried we might get hurt closing the Breach." Ela told him leaning onto Kata's shoulder. "I told him we'd all be fine."

"You won't die," Kata assured him. "And neither will we." Somehow his flat tone didn't make him feel any better. "The mage Bas will assist you as will your sister. Her magic will protect you."

"And if something happens to me, Kata will be there for you." Ela yawned. Kata seemed to nod in the darkness.

"Okay," Aiden grumbled. "Can you let me go now? I'm to old for this."

Ela obliged releasing him with a shrug. "No one is to old for hugs," she whispered pulling her thin blanket from under them. "Kata bring your cot here. I'll sleep between you two. It'll give us a little more room."

Kata stood, sunk into the darkness, and was back just as quickly dragging his cot as quietly as possible. He shoved it next to Ela's and laid down with a groan, stretching his arm out till it reached the other side of the cot. Ela climbed over him and dug herself next to Kata, placing her head inside the crook of his arm. Aiden placed his back against hers and moved his pillow beneath Kata's arm.

It reminded him of the first months he had been with Ela. He had been miserable. He missed his mother, and still did, and he missed his room, and he had felt terribly alone. Ela had done everything she could to make him feel better, but nothing had worked until one night he had begged to stay in the tent with her and Kata. They'd agreed, reluctantly, and after that it had been a little easier for him to deal with being away from home. Maybe having company helped him, or maybe it made him feel safe from his father's men. Whatever it was, it worked. And as he drifted off to sleep, he was happy to know it still did.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know how you all are enjoying the story!**


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